Her Lost Wings
by aniimefreak161
Summary: Thanks to an unknown spokesman, the Titans are forced to slip into hiding. The original team gathers the surviving members of the Teen Titans across the world as they all search for a safe haven. However, Humanity is taking a dive into a dark pit of despair and when she's needed most, Raven's powers are failing her. BBxRae, RobxStar. M to be safe
1. Chapter 1

**This is my fourth Fanfiction**

**I haven't seen Teen Titans since I was really young**

**but I always loved Raven and Beast Boy**

**(Individually, not as a couple. Although I do now xD haha)**

**This is mostly in Raven's point of view**

**(I will let you know if it isn't beforehand)**

**I do use "colorful" language and there is blood.**

**There may be some "suggestive content"**

**But nothing like sex, I promise.**

**I do update rather frequently!**

**Well, all I can say now is: ENJOY.**

_**IMPORTANT UPDATE 2/11/2013:**_

**I have a schedule that I'm going to try to start following. Okay I will update one story on certain days:**

**Tuesdays - _Rude Awakening_ ( Vampire Knight & Blood+ Crossover )**

**Wednesdays - _Her Lost Wings_ ( Teen Titans )**

**Thursdays - _A Cherry Blossom's Compromise_ ( ItaSaku )**

**Weekends - I'll post whatever the heck I want xD**

**Let's see if this works out. This will be posted on my profile if you need to look back at it in the future **_-Anii_

* * *

**Chapter 1: "Where are the people that accused me?"**

_**― Unbreakable by Fireflight**_

Raven bobbed her head at the barista behind the counter who handed Raven a steaming off-white mug of herbal tea. The barista's gaze shifted to her next customer as Raven wandered over to her usual over-stuffed arm-chair in the small coffee shop. The maroon arm-chair faced the window and, as long as Raven kicked off her shoes, the shop owner and workers allowed her to sit cross-legged in the large chair.

Raven brought the mug to her lips, letting the steam drift up her nostrils before she tipped the mug up and swallowed the delicious yet burning liquid. She closed her eyes, allowing the warmth to seep into her aching body.

Raven shifted uncomfortably. Since the villianization of superheroes, the Titans had receded into hiding and being incognito meant donning "normal" clothing.

The empathic wore a zip-up hoodie, the hood flipped up, and a gray pair of the ever-so-popular "skinny jeans" normal teens wore. She bowed her head, threw back her hood, and shimmied out of the hoodie altogether.

Her shirt underneath was a thin, short-sleeved, band t-shirt with one of Beast Boy's favorite band names dominating its front (Beast Boy and Starfire were in charge of clothing shopping and Raven refused to wear the frilly, girly clothing Starfire had picked out.)

The people here in this local coffee shop seemed desensitized to people who looked like Raven. She hadn't realized how many humans out there really did look like her, although they did it purposefully. Every day, all kinds of people swarmed the shop looking even stranger than Raven did. There was a name attached to them but Raven couldn't conjure forth the specific term. Whoever they were, they had certainly done Raven a huge favor.

In this town, no one knew or cared to know who the Teen Titans were.

"Enjoying the view of the run-down buildings again, I see."

Raven turned her head to find a young man in a black shirt and white pants with a green apron around his waist and his hands on his hips.

Raven's head turned back towards the window, "I never really noticed."

Jared yanked a chair away from a little nearby table and straddled it, his smile aimed at Raven, "Having the usual?"

"Herbal tea." Raven replied with a nod.

"Ever going to let me make you my famous lemon tea?"

Raven sipped down the last drops of her tea, "No."

"Why not?" Jared whined playfully.

"I don't trust people with my tea." An image of Beast Boy putting spoiled soy milk in her tea flashed across Raven's mind and she shook her head violently, setting the empty mug aside.

"Aw, you're no fun." Jared rose out of his chair and jerked his head towards the back door, "Wanna come with me? I need a smoke."

Raven shrugged her shoulders, slipped on her Converse shoes and crawled back into her hoodie before following Jared out of the employee exit where the workers usually smoked.

Jared flicked his silver lighter repeatedly until a small flame shot up and caught the end of his cigarette on fire. He took a slow drag on the cigarette and glanced at Raven.

He released the smoke from his nose, "I heard you're going on a trip?"

Raven crossed her arms, "I'm taking a trip with my friends. We're going back home then we're going to- uh- the beach."

"Friends? You mean the cute red-head and the spiky-haired douche?"

Raven choked back her laughter, "Yeah, and two others you haven't met."

"I haven't seen those two come in with you for a while. It should be fun to see them again, right?" Jared sucked on the cigarette again.

"They were away on vacation. I'm going to meet up with them at home tomorrow. Our two other friends are already there, they left a month ago for some video game convention."

"Vacation? Cool." Jared flicked the tiny, used-up cigarette to the ground and stepped on it.

_More like honeymoon_, Raven thought with a smirk.

"Well, I guess I better get back to work." Jared grunted as he swung open the door, stepping aside to let Raven go first.

Jared moved towards the counter and gave Raven a friendly wave over his shoulder accompanied by his cheerful smile. "See 'ya when you get back. Have fun!"

••••••••

Rain pounded down against the thin girl, who kept her head bowed low as she waited for the bus. Her breath puffed out in a white cloud as fat drops of rain water dripped from the tip of the girl's exposed nose. The hazy glow of yellow headlights brought the girl's head up the slightest bit.

The city bus squealed to a stop before the girl and her fingers clutched the straps of her backpack tightly. The rain-soaked girl clambered up into the bus, dropping coins into the appropriate slot before taking her seat between an older gentleman, who was asleep, and a middle-aged man reading a newspaper.

The younger of the two scrunched up his nose as she sat but just flicked his paper and grunted. The bus roared to life and rumbled low as it traveled down the wet streets of Jump City.

Rain pattered against the window and the gleam of yellow streetlights cast eerie shadows across the passengers' faces. The bus driver slowed the speed of the bus as they approached the next bus stop and slid the doors open. No sooner had he done so, a loud bang startled everyone and made the girl's teeth rattle.

The passengers searched with their eyes until they found the bus driver slumped over in his seat. Fresh blood glistened around his temple and painted the window to his left. Not a single person dared to even breathe as footsteps filled the completely silent bus.

A man, his overcoat drenched with rain, presented himself before the passengers, a gun clenched in his shaking fingers. He was panting heavily and his order was broken up by ragged inhales, "Get off the bus."

No one moved.

"Now!" The attacker roared, bringing up the arm with the gun.

As if in sync, the passengers rose from their seats, except for the most recent female arrival, who kept her hooded head low as the man waved his gun around.

The man easily weaseled his way through the exiting bus passengers and seized the sitting girl by her upper arm, "Didn't you hear me? I said get up!"

"I heard you." The girl calmly replied.

Angered, the man shoved the tip of the gun against the girl's temple, "Move."

"No, _you_ move." She hissed, her fingers coiling around the muzzle of the gun.

Before the man could squeeze the trigger, the girl had already bent the muzzle of the gun at a 90 degree angle, rending it useless (unless, of course, he wanted to blow his hand off). A few remaining passengers gasped at this amazing display of strength, awe passing across each face.

"You aren't human." The gunman noted, his eyes narrowing with hatred.

He grabbed a fistful of the girl's hood and yanked it back, revealing her gray complexion, purple hair, and angry, matching purple eyes.

"It's Raven!" One passenger shouted in surprise.

"That bitch from the Teen Titans?" One questioned.

"It is her! What's she doing here?"

At least the fear seemed to have dissipated. Although, unfortunately for Raven, the fear was booted out-of-place by pure hatred. Raven's arm rose, black energy clouded around her hand. She pointed said hand towards the overhead exit on the top of the bus and swiped her arm to the side.

The exit slid open and Raven launched herself through the hole, landing smoothly on the roof of the bus before taking off into the night sky. Wind whooshed by her ears, drowning out the angry shouts of the citizens below, who had completely forgotten about the shooter still inside of the bus.

Far away from the angry bus passengers, Raven landed gracefully in a dark, abandoned alleyway. She pulled free her communicator and was about to call Robin when a familiar yip made her head shoot up.

A small dog crashed into several garbage cans, sending them crashing to the ground, as he made a mad dash for the alley Raven now stood in. Two teenage boys followed after the tiny green animal, picking up and throwing anything they could find at the poor dog.

Raven's hand lashed out, swinging wildly to the right. A rectangular piece of metal peeled itself away from the side of a building before slamming into the two teens and wrapping them up tightly like egg rolls.

Raven tucked her communicator away and knelt before Beast Boy as he switched back into his human form. "Are you alright?"

Beast Boy, clutching his right leg, bobbed his head. "Yeah, I'll be fine."

Raven slid herself under one of Beast Boy's arms and helped him to his feet, her left hand clutching his waist. Raven turned away from the teens, supporting Beast Boy, when her communicator went off. Still holding her friend, Raven freed her communicator and answered.

Robin's face popped on the screen, "Everything okay?"

Robin's eyes glanced over Raven's shoulder and she groaned mentally, _Here we go_.

"Raven, what the hell?!" Robin hissed, "Attacking citizens won't clear our names!"

Robin shoved his face closed to the screen, "We have to be careful in Jump, we're enemies here. I only brought us back as a meeting place before we head to Atlantis.

"Being nice isn't going to clear our names either." Raven shot back, her voice on the brink of cracking with anger and frustration, "Right now, it's either them or us. I chose us."

Robin sighed, choosing to give up this battle. "Don't forget. We're at the Swan Hotel."

Raven ended the call before Robin could freak out any more and glanced at Beast Boy. "Can you fly?"

"Yeah, I think so." Beast Boy wearily replied, pulling himself away from Raven.

"You don't have to if you can't, Beast Boy." Raven's hands shot out to stead him as he swayed on his feet.

Beast Boy flashed his usual smile, "Don't worry. I got this."

••••••••

Raven sunk down on to the hotel bed she shared with Starfire and let out a groan. She kicked off her shoes and wiggled her finally free toes as her feet dangled off the edge of the bed. The shower roared as Starfire turned on the water and the persistent sound lulled Raven towards the brink of sleep.

A soft meow brought her back to wakefulness and she sat up to find a green kitten curled up near her feet, his tail thumping lazily against the bed.

"What are you doing in our room?" Raven grumbled.

The kitten stretched its front paws out and lifted it's rear end in the air before shifting back into Beast Boy, who sat cross-legged on Raven and Starfire's bed, "I didn't get to say thanks for earlier."

"Don't mention it." Raven flopped back on her stomach.

"Do you miss the Tower?" Beast Boy meekly asked after several moments of silence.

Raven paused a moment then nodded, "I do." _(Anii Comment: Raven said 'I do'! Hah! XD Sorry. Sorry. Continue)_

Beast Boy fell silent and Raven lifted her head from her pillow. The changeling's head was bent low, his shoulders hunched. Raven nudged Beast Boy's knee, "You okay?"

When he didn't respond, Raven pulled herself into a sitting position facing him. She sighed and spoke gently, "It must have been hard on you. You never really left the house after we were forced to leave Titans Tower."

Beast Boy laughed pathetically, "It was nothing."

"I don't believe that." Raven shifted into a better position. "The video game convention was fun though right?"

Raven remembered all the preparation that had gone into allowing the two gamers to leave the house. Cyborg had build a camouflage suit for himself that made him look fully human while Beast Boy simply had to powder his face and wear a hat to cover his hair and ears.

"It was amazing." Raven saw a glimpse of a smile spread across Beast Boy's face.

Raven let out a long breath and Beast Boy whispered, "At least we're all together again."

Raven let her own lips curl into a smile. "Yeah."

"Well, goodnight Raven." Beast Boy slid off of the bed, gloom clearly still hovering around him.

Raven clenched her hands into fists, catching fistfuls of the puffy comforter underneath her between her fingers. She couldn't let him walk out that door like this. She was nervous. She didn't know how to be gentle and uplifting, but she had to try.

"Hey, Beast Boy." Raven called.

"Hm?" He glanced over his shoulder.

"I heard this hotel has a game room. Wanna check it out?"

Beast Boy's eyes lit up, his usual goofy grin dominating his face, "You're on!"

Beast Boy raced for the door but Raven made a 'tsk' sound that stopped him immediately. He slowly turned around to see her holding makeup and a wooly hat in both hands. Raven lifted an eyebrow in a teasing manner, her lips quirking into a smirk. "Forgetting something?"

* * *

**This chapter, although I hate to admit it, was started by the event that happened a few days ago. I will not give out his name and I don't suggest looking it up but a man went on a school bus and shot the bus driver, killing him. The bus drivers name was Charles Albert Poland Jr. Then the man took a little 5-year-old boy, Ethan, hostage. The man was killed and the boy is safe at home now. Please, don't remember the bad guy's name in a scary event like this. Always remember the victim(s).**

**On a somewhat lighter note:**

**As always, I like all kinds of comments, positive or negative. ****But positive comments must be constructive!**

**Any questions, please ask me. ****I reply to all reviews/PMs ****(unless they are from guests, ****sorry! I can't reply to you according to** **FanFiction)** _-Anii_


	2. Chapter 2

**Wednesday means its Teen Titans update day :D!**

**Yay lol**

**Just as a side note: Raven's powers are like an extension of herself.**

**The technical term is "soul self"**

**I'm just mentioning it here because**

**I didn't even know what it was called until I researched it a bit.**

_-Anii_

* * *

**Chapter 2: "Can't seem to keep my eyes shut."**

_**― Insomnia by The Veronicas**_

Raven's head lifted from her arm, her neck throbbing in pain. Raven ran cool fingers along her neck, trying to sooth the aching muscles there. She cracked on eye open. The game room was silent and dark. Raven blinked her eyes several times as if to speed up the dilation of her pupils.

She was alone in the room. Beast Boy must have gone back to his own room. Raven pushed herself up from the couch and stood on sleepily legs. Her shoe kicked a wireless controller halfway across the room where it bounced against the wall.

Raven winced at the noise that clashed against her just awakening ears. She shook her head, groggily climbing the short staircase to the elevator. She hopped in, punched the button to her floor, and leaned against the gleaming bronze wall of the elevator.

The doors slid open easily and a ding announced her arrival. Raven, jolted awake by the ding, made her way to her shared room with Starfire. She swiped the room key in the door mechanism and a red light flashed, signaling that the door was still locked.

Raven glared at the door before forcefully shoving it open with her powers. Starfire was nowhere to be seen as Raven slipped into their room. Raven felt a small smile twist her lips as she stared longingly at her bed.

She practically felt the love ooze from her as she neared the waiting and ever-so-comfortable bed. Raven's palm drifted across the soft, plush surface of the bed just as a familiar and annoying tune resounded around the room. Raven felt the airy feeling of love crash down on her shoulders like cement as he answered the Titans Communicator.

"No! Just let her sleep!" Beast Boy shouted through the device.

"Shut up! We need her!"

The screen shifted like it was being tossed around or fought over and Robin's face popped on to the screen. "Raven there's-!"

Raven cut him off, "Just tell me where you are."

Robin's face scrunched up in disapproval at her tone of voice but he answered. "By The Tower."

Raven flipped the communicator closed and groaned, casting one last look at her lovely, warm bed. She yanked her hood up, used her powers to fling open the window, and leapt up on to the window sill before throwing herself into the crisp night air.

Small flashes of multicolored light in an otherwise pitch-black area alerted Raven to her arrival at Titans Tower.

She hovered able the battle scene momentarily, formulating a plan of attack when a bolt of green light whizzed so close and so fast near her head that the wind from it wrenched Raven's hood right off of her head.

Raven scrambled to replace her hood, feeling oddly vulnerable without it.

"Sorry, friend!" Starfire called out just before grunting as she blasted another green ball towards an attacker Raven couldn't see.

Raven dashed to the right as a huge silver and blue half-mechanical man flew through the air near her. "Whoa! Wait, Raven?" Cyborg, still in midair, cracked a smile.

Raven caught him easily in her hands and gently brought him down to safety. As soon as his feet hit the ground, Cyborg was charging at his assailant again. Raven lowered herself to hover just mere inches above the Earth. Robin stumbled back towards her, twirling his bo.

Raven pressed a hand to his back to keep him from falling on his ass. "What's going on here?"

The sounds of battle almost drowned out Raven's question. Somewhere amidst the chaos, she heard an elephant bellow out in anger.

"If you had let me finish-!"

The anger rolled off of Raven in waves and the words dripped from her lips with venom, "Just. Tell. Me."

Robin swatted at a shifting shadow, "We don't know what's really going on."

Raven almost hit him. Instead she shoved down her anger and asked through gritted teeth, "Then why was it so important to call me out? Are you playing with shadows?!"

"These aren't-"

Robin's words, this time, were cut off as something hard struck both him and Raven. The breath was knocked out of Raven's lungs as something that felt similar to a heavy wooden board slammed into her stomach.

Raven coughed out her words, "What was that?"

"We don't know." Robin muttered, his hand clutching his chest where the object had hit him.

Raven's eyes narrowed and caught the slightest shifting of an inky black figure moving against the dark night.

"Move!" Raven hissed as she bounced out-of-the-way.

Robin obeyed and quickly had his staff in his hands again. He spun it around easily and smashed into one of the dark objects and it coiled around his bo like a snake. Before Robin could even blink, the staff was yanked right from his fingers.

Raven saw stars as pain exploded in the back of her head.

Her fingers flew to the back of her skull. She pulled her fingers back and even in the dark, Raven could see the stinky red blood clinging to her fingers. She groaned and concentrated, her eyes fluttering closed.

A small breeze scrapped against her cheek and Raven brought up her arm to block the blow. The enemy beat against her forearm before curling around it suddenly. Raven tugged, trying to free her arm, but only managed to tighten the creature's grip on her.

Her lips formed the oh-so-familiar chant, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

Raven's soul self encompassed her entire arm, slashing away at the baddie clinging to her like a leech.

Beast Boy, in the form of a gorilla, somersaulted past Raven as a black shadow chased after him. Raven's hand swung out and her soul self sliced away at Beast Boy's attacker.

She thought she heard what sounded like limbs falling to the ground and cringed.

The soft thump the disregarded pieces made caused a knot to form in Raven's stomach. Her eyes twitched to the side and she dodged in just enough time to avoid having her head knocked off.

She rolled away from the black shadow and crouched low, keeping her eyes trained on their target. However, from behind, a whip like object struck Raven's back. The whip tore at Raven's hoodie and t-shirt, slicing through the thin fabric easily and biting into her flesh.

Raven clenched her teeth together as she felt fat drops of blood trickle down her injured back and she spun around to slice the whip into ribbons. Instead, a bulky object slammed into her, knocking her off her feet.

Raven leapt up, attempting to fly into the air where she may have some advantage. However, the attacker wielding the whip must have sent it after her because a stinging sensation burning around her ankle made Raven hiss.

She glanced down to see a thick and tough material wrapped around her ankle just before her assailant yanked her down- hard. Raven hit the ground so hard she felt her brain rattle around in her skull.

Dust puffed up as her body struck the Earth and resettled slowly around her. Raven checked to see if she still had all her teeth, her fingers brushing lightly across her jaw.

Raven clutched her head as it swam. _I can barely see them and there must be at least a dozen. Damn them for ruining my sleep!_

Raven's arm swung out in an arc as her soul self latched onto her attack, who must have held the whip. The being thrashed around and Raven chucked it away from her like a piece of trash. All her focus fell to the large shadowy mass before her.

As it swayed from side to side, Raven's muscles coiled in expectation. When it lunged, she jumped aside, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

Grayish pink light reached high above the horizon and Raven smirked triumphantly. Finally, they would get to see what they were fighting. No more hiding in the dark for these bad guys.

The sun poked its head through the clouds, sending streams of light down on the surrounding area. Raven lifted her head to discover…

Nothing.

Nothing was anywhere near the Titans. Not a single blade of grass was even bent out of shape. The "limbs" Raven thought she had taken from the enemy were also nowhere to be found.

Confusion fell among them as they glanced at each other and Robin's lips pursed into a thin line, "What the hell just happened here?"

No one answered.

How could they? They were just as confused as he was. Raven's head fell into her palm and she groaned softly. All she wanted to do was to sleep peacefully for a full night.

* * *

**I miss Teen Titans so much lol I wish they had kept the cartoons going. Well I can definitely promise that I'll be updating this story this weekend xD I love it! **_-Anii_


	3. Chapter 3

**Such a late update! Sorry! My days are kind of hectic ^^;**

**But hey, I updated on schedule!**

**Haha, please review! :D**

_-Anii_

* * *

**Chapter 3: "The voices inside my head are taking over."**

_**― Voices by Crown the Empire**_

"Sorry 'bout this Raven. Just try and lay as still as possible." Cyborg murmured as his mechanical arm examined Raven's exposed back.

Raven groaned into her pillow as a response. The pain wasn't what bothered her. What bothered her was that she _still_ could not sleep. There was work to do. Since Raven was the only one who had been sliced open with a whip, she was the guinea pig for now.

Robin was hoping that some kind of clue might have been left behind in Raven's wound so he set Cyborg to the task.

"It won't take long." Beast Boy popped up over the side of Raven's bed, his face mere inches from hers.

Raven puffed her breath out, blowing right in Beast Boy's face, and the changeling flinched. Several beeps made Cyborg pipe up, "Hey, we might have got something."

Robin crossed his arms over his chest. "What is it?"

"It's gonna take a few hours to figure out what it is exactly but I think my sensors picked up on something weird."

"Are you sure it wasn't just something naturally in Raven's body?" Robin asked.

Raven glared daggers at the Titan's leader as Starfire slathered a sticky medicinal paste onto her back.

Cyborg stepped in, stammering, "It's something from Earth."

"So, it's not some new alien?" Robin stated as he stroked his chin in thought.

"What the hell were you guys doing there anyways?" Raven asked, wincing in pain as Starfire touched a particularly sore spot.

Robin rubbed the back of his neck,."Starfire and I thought it would be nice to see the Tower."

"And?" Raven prodded as she sat on the edge of the bed, her forearm covering her bare chest and her injured back facing the boys.

"And when we got there those creepy black shadow creatures were there." Raven gave him a look and Robin huffed, crossing his arms. "I don't have to tell you what we were doing."

"We could not see them. Robin called for help soon after." Starfire informed politely.

"I think they were looking for something." Robin muttered. "But I have no idea what."

"They were looking for something in the Tower?" Cyborg cocked his head to the side.

"Did they get it?" Raven asked.

"We don't know." Starfire shrugged her shoulders as she helped Raven tug her shirt over her head.

Robin pinched the bridge of his nose and made a sound of contempt as Raven slipped into her hoodie.

She flipped her hood up. "I'll just go get it. Whatever it is"

"You can't go out there." Robin hissed.

Raven felt her agitation soar. "Then what should we do?"

Feeling the tension swarming in the air, Starfire stepped forward with a compromise, "Your wounds still haven't healed. Maybe one of the others could go with you, yes?"

Beat Boy's hand raised and a sheepish grin spread across his face, "I could go with her."

"It's not safe for one of us to go out there. How can I allow two to go?" Robin murmured, his frustration mounting. "In case you guys forgot, we got our asses handed to us and we don't even know what we're dealing with yet."

Cyborg crossed his arms over his chest. "Come on, man. We can't just sit back and let whatever was back there have what it wanted from Titans Tower."

Robin's arm swung out, his anger finally boiling over. "Fine! If you aren't back in an hour-"

"Yeah, yeah." Raven muttered,waving her hand dismissively.

She slid out of the room and took a sharp right towards the back entrance staircase. She forgot Beast Boy was even there until she heard the sounds of footsteps descending the stairs behind her. Startled momentarily, Raven spin around, her hands clouded with black energy. Beast Boy held up his hands, his ears drooping like a frightened animal. "Don't shoot."

Raven's hands lowered and she attempted to expel the anger from her body with a long exhale. It didn't work. "So you really are coming with me?"

Beat Boy straightened his body and shrugged. "They didn't want you going alone. I have to."

Raven clenched her teeth together and continued stomping down the hotel exit to the alley in the back. Beast Boy fell into step beside her, his hands clasped behind his back. His eyes fluttered around the confined stairway, never lingering for more than a moment on Raven. "You know..."

Shocked by the loud echo of Beast Boy's voice, Raven's head jerked up.

"Sorry." He said more softly before clearing his throat. "You know, they're just worried about you. Even Robin."

"Since when did you become so attentive?" Raven shot.

Beast Boy winced and Raven rushed to drain the anger from her voice. "I know they do. I'm glad they are but this isn't the time to be sensitive."

"It's kind of like we're at war." Beast Boy whispered softly, his gaze dropping to the floor.

Raven bristled upon hearing the word. The bright red emergency exit door came into view and Raven felt like kicking it down. Instead, she gave it a hard shove with her shoulder, ripping out the alarm system beforehand.

"It might be safer if I-"

"Got'cha." Beast Boy's hand clamped on her shoulder and he smiled, his sharp tooth gleaming in the dim light of the alleyway.

Raven's focus switched inward and thick black tendrils sprouted from her back wildly, snapping and licking at the air as if living creatures. The black energy shot up and curled around Beast Boy and Raven until it formed a solid black sphere. When Raven released the energy and stepped forward, they found themselves in the living room of the Titans Tower.

The couch was overturned, stuffing flowing out from gaping holes in the fabric. Walls had large dents in them and the enormous TV screen was shattered and smashed with strings of electrical wire draping from it. Carpet was torn in places as if claws had raked across the surface and plaster dripped down from the ceiling. The windows were nowhere to be found and a cool breeze entered the Tower as an uninvited guest.

Raven bit down on the grief that threatened to consume her. Beast Boy's voice cracked as he spoke, "What should we be looking for."

"I have no idea." Raven tossed back her hood.

"So do we, like, just take the whole Tower with us?" Beast Boy questioned, his shoulders slumping.

"Hey, guys." Raven's communicator buzzed to life and she pulled it free from her hip.

Cyborg's grim face filled the tiny screen. "My scanners came back with what was in your cut, Raven."

"What was it?" She asked.

"I'll spare you the biological mumbo jumbo. Those things that attacked us last night were some type of plant life."

"P-plant life?" Raven stammered. "We got our asses kicked by a bunch of plants?"

"Seems that way." Cyborg answered.

"But why would some vines or whatever attack us?" Beast Boy piped up as he crammed his face into the communicator's screen.

Cyborg's eyes narrowed.

"What? You think I have something to do with it?!" Beast Boy gapped.

"Maybe one of your freaky vegetarian dishes came back to hunt us down!" Cyborg howled. "I knew that crap was evil the moment I smelled it!" The mechanical man shuddered and gagged. "Or maybe something in your room grew into a monstrous, moldy beast hungry for human flesh!"

"There's nothing wrong with my tofu!" Beast Boy crossed his arms and pouted, his throat rumbling with a feral growl.

"Bull-!"

"Ladies!" Raven hissed. "Can we focus? What would plants want at the Tower?"

Cyborg's solemn mask slipped back on. "Right. Well, I don't know actually."

Raven began to groan but Cyborg's grin snapped into place on his face, "But I can help you figure out."

"How?" Beast Boy asked, his face nudging against the screen once more.

Cyborg's grin turned sinister. "I've been waiting to use this for so long!"

"Use what-" Beast Boy's question was cut off by a cloud of spray puffing into his face from the communicator.

"What was that?" Raven asked as she watched Beast Boy hacked up a lung, his body doubled over and his hand on his chest.

"I found out the specific type of plant we were attacked by. That scent was from the plant. Beast Boy should be able to pick up on their scent trail now."

"Dude! A little warning next time!" Beast Boy wheezed.

"If I find out that your crappy vegetarian food came back to haunt us, I'm going to hold you down and spray you with all sorts of greasy, meaty scents." Cyborg threatened as he ended his connection.

Raven stared at the black screen for several seconds before flicking the communicator's lid closed. She turned her razor-sharp eyes on Beast Boy. "Well?"

Beast Boy whimpered as he morphed into a green bloodhound. The changeling shoved his nose to the floor, his tail swaying from side to side as Beast Boy wandered around the room. It didn't take him long for him to lock onto the scent of the killer plants.

His head lifted and whipped around to face Raven, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. Raven followed after Beast Boy's quick, wiggling body until he stopped suddenly and switched back into his human form.

"The trail ends here."

"This must be where Robin and Starfire ran into those plants then." Raven noted, her eyes narrowing.

They were in the hallway where her room was located. _What would a plant want with anything in my room?_ Raven's head fell into her palm, _I still can't believe our enemy this time is a bunch of freaking plants!_

Beast Boy's palm slid across the smooth metal surface of Raven's door. "Do you think the doors still work?"

"I doubt it." Raven's soul self tangled around the door and she shoved the metal aside with ease.

Raven's head lowered as both her and Beast Boy remained motionless, not taking a single step through the doorway.

"Do you remember the day...?" Beast Boy's hoarse voice broke apart.

Raven nodded her head. "The day we had to leave." She finished.

"Yeah..."

"It's kind of hard to forget." Raven mumbled as she plunged forward into her old room.

It was as if time had never touched the room. Her bed remained neatly made and the miscellaneous decorations were in the same place she had left them.

"I miss this place."

"Beast Boy, please." Raven begged as grief formed a lump in her throat.

Tears threatened to flood down her cheeks as Raven bit down the flesh of her lip. Beast Boy's head snapped up. "I smell something."

"It's probably your room. The stench must be awful in there now. Cyborg might be right about those plant creatures coming from your room." Raven's attempt at lightening the mood bounced off of Beast Boy and as he faced her.

"What do you smell?" She asked hurriedly.

"It's really faint." He jerked his thumb towards the doorway. "It's coming from there. I'll go check it out okay?"

Raven nodded and Beast Boy glanced over his shoulder at her, a weak smile on his lips. "You know, this is the first time I've been in your room without you getting angry with me."

Raven concealed her smile but her eyes shone with the laughter she held back. He left her room, only the sound of his feet thumping against the floor echoed in the empty and silent hallway. Raven turned on her heels, her fingers brushing against the surface of one of the dressers in her old room. Her nose crinkled in distain at the fresh coat of dirt on her fingertips.

"Raven."

Raven turned at the soft whisper, thinking that Beast Boy was calling out for her. "Beast Boy?"

Nothing.

Raven's eyes narrowed.

"Raven." The voice was louder this time and it rattled around inside of her skull.

Panic plunged its icy fingers through Raven's chest as a shriek tore from her throat. She flung her body away from the dresser, falling on her ass in the process.

* * *

**Please leave a review! Also, just please remember that I'm not making everyone really angry lol they're all just stressed. I do try to have Beast Boy and Cyborg lighten the mood lol I love them and their conversations xD **_-Anii_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four already, sheesh lol**

**I do feel this should be said:**

**I don't ask for reviews as a "popularity" thing.**

**I ask for reviews so I know how I'm doing.**

**Plus, sometimes you guys have great ideas!**

**Or you point out flaws. Either way, you help.**

**So please, leave a review!**

_-Anii_

* * *

**Chapter 4: "There's no getting over it. I know what you are."**

_**― Whore by Get Scared**_

Raven lifted a trembling hand and raked her fingers through her hair. She tried to tell herself repeatedly that she must have imagined the familiar male voice calling out her name but the single word had been crisp and clear. There was no denying it.

"Raven?!" Beast Boy dashed through the doorway, his feet kicking up dust as he plowed through her old room.

She held up her hand, her palm facing Beast Boy. "I'm fine."

A booming chuckle invaded the room, "I'm not so sure about that."

Raven's eyes widened and she launched herself at Beast Boy, knocking them both out of the room just as it burst into rubble. Plaster dripped from the ceiling where her room had just stood and dust spewed out of the mess.

Beast Boy scrambled to his feet, yanking Raven up with him as she coughed out the dust from her lungs. "What the hell just happened?"

"Malchior." Raven wheezed. "We have to get back in there."

"Malchior? You mean that dragon dude?! Are you kidding me! Whoa!" Beast Boy ranted as Raven began tearing through the rubble that piled up, blocking her way to Malchior.

Beast Boy's fingers curled around her upper arm and he jerked her back to face him. His face was mere inches from hers as he shouted, "We _have_ to get out of here."

"Not likely."

Raven spun around to come face to face with a human figure shrouded in old book pages. Only Malchior's- no _Rorek's_- ice blue eyes peeked out from the shredded papers. Seeing those blue eyes startled Raven. Before, Malchior had used a page from the book as his eyes. But now, Malchior was using Rorek's eyes just like he had used his body.

"I thought I sealed you away, Malchior." Raven hissed through clenched teeth.

"You did." Malchior crossed his paper arms over his chest and closed his eyes. "But I have a new savior. She came to speak to me last night."

"Are you the one who attacked us?" Beast Boy demanded, stepping forward with clear anger in his eyes.

"It wasn't him." Raven whispered.

"What?" Beast Boy turned to face her, his anger rising. "Are you saying that because…because…."

"Because she loves me?" Malchior unsheathed his eyes and pierced straight through Beast Boy and right to Raven.

Raven bent forward slightly, her body tensing for a fight. "I don't love you." Raven brought her gaze to Beast Boy's face and she answered as calmly as she could. "He's what those plants were looking for."

Beast Boy's anger drained out of him and his head tilted to the side as he looked at Raven. "Are you sure?"

"I've really had enough of this chit-chat. I have orders." Malchior uncrossed his arms his voice deepening.

Raven's soul self coiled around Beast Boy and she thrust her hand forward. "Go get help!" She shouted as she teleported Beast Boy back to the hotel.

Just as the last word fell from her mouth, a giant black and purple claw snatched her up, crushing her thin body. Raven ground her teeth together and fought hard against her fleshy cage. She tried moving her limbs but her arms were crushed to her sides. All she could do was feebly kick the lower half of her legs.

The main section of Malchior's body remained in its papery form even as he brought Raven closer to him. "I've missed you so, my love."

Raven's eyes glowed black. "Azarath Metrion Zi-!"

A single sheet of paper tore free from Malchior's body and slapped itself across Raven's mouth, cutting off the last part of her chant. Raven's jaw moved wildly to try and force out the remaining syllables but the paper stuck fast.

"Don't be so nasty, my dear." Malchior cooed, his paper fingers stroking Raven's cheek and brushing a lock of violet hair behind her ear.

In the darkened hallway, Rorek's eyes, which Malchior borrowed, glowed almost unnaturally. Raven stopped fighting.

"Ah, saving your energy for the perfect moment?" Malchior bobbed his head up and down, a soft crinkling sound coming from the rustling of his paper body. "Forgive me, dear Raven, but there will be no 'perfect moment'. Not this time."

His eyes narrowed and the hand clutching Raven tightened. Raven threw her head back and let out a muffled scream of agony as Malchior squeezed her almost to the point of breaking. Her chest couldn't expand in Malchior's crushing grip, cutting off her body's supply of oxygen.

"I won't let you confine me to that book ever again. Soon, I'll have the strength to unleash my furry and I will rule again!" Malchior howled, insanity creeping into his voice.

Raven's head fell forward as Malchior's hand loosened around her. She frantically filled her lungs through her nose, her heart beating rapidly against her breastbone. Malchior's free hand cupped her cheek as paper ripped from around his body and flew outwards.

The arm around Raven shrunk to a normal size and Raven would have collapsed to the ground if Malchior hadn't crushed her to his chest first. Raven looked up into Rorek's face and if the paper hadn't kept her mouth shut, she would have spit.

Rorek's white hair tumbled down his back and his piecing eyes searched Raven's thoroughly. His lean body and strong arms held Raven close. His black mask hid the majority of his face but there was no denying the fact that Rorek was stunning.

Or, rather, he _had_ been stunning. Rorek, the _real _Rorek, was long dead and Malchior was borrowing his body to trick Raven, as he had once before. Raven struggled, sliding her hands over the smooth metal of Rorek's armor to try to push herself away. Malchior held on relentlessly though.

"Your strength when you defeated me was beautiful, do you know that?" Malchior whispered.

Instead of melting like he wanted it to, Raven's heart froze in her chest. She was a captured bird about to be devoured by the vicious python. Raven's eyes burned black once more as she attempted to use her simpler spells without her chant.

A small pebble from the remains of her room launched itself at Malchior's head. His head twisted in just enough time to see the boulder-sized rock, covered in Raven's black soul self, smash into his face.

His grip on her only tightened. Malchior's attention returned to Raven. "What a cute little trick."

"Let her go, Malchior." Robin ordered.

Both Malchior and Raven's heads jerked to the side to find Robin standing in a fighting position at the end of the hall.

"Or what?" Malchior taunted with a sinister sneer. "Where are your companions? Hiding, huh? Waiting to attack me with a surprise attack?"

"You got it!"

Raven's head swung upwards just in time to see a blue light blast down from the ceiling. Strong hands gripped her shoulder and yanked her back in enough time. Malchior roared as Cyborg's laser sliced down through him.

A look of surprise remained in Rorek's eyes as the two halves of his body slid apart. Paper swarmed around Malchior's split form and patched the halves back together. Raven grabbed Starfire's wrist and pointed towards the shattered remains of her room.

"What is it, Raven?" Starfire asked, confusion clouding her eyes.

Raven spun around, standing on wobbly legs and shot her hands out before her, wrists together. The beam of dark energy raced to do her bidding and chipped away at the rubble.

"Oh!" Starfire shouted, finally catching on.

Starfire flung several large green orbs of light towards the rocky debris and blasted away large chunks of rock. The piece of paper left Raven's mouth to help reform Malchior and Raven screeched, "Find the book!" just as Malchior's dragon arm snatched her up once more.

"Really, darling? Bringing friends along?" Malchior snapped, his tone not quite matching the words he spoke.

"Raven!" Robin shouted, his bo striking Malchior's shoulder.

Malchior's head twisted to the side. "Pathetic." He hissed as his other arm lashed out and sent Robin crashing into the nearest wall.

"Robin!" Starfire cried, moving to help him.

"No, Starfire!" Raven ordered, struggling against her confines. "Don't stop! Find that book!"

"I'll help you out, Star." Cyborg dropped from the ceiling and aimed his laser canon at the rubble.

Malchior smirked. "Good luck."

Malchior's hand tightened around Raven as his borrowed body burst into flames, letting Malchior's real form sprout from the ashes. Red, glowing eyes stared down into Raven's soul and the dragon's mouth split in a terrifying grin.

Even in the narrow hallway, it was easy to tell that Malchior was massive. Two spikes portruded from the top of his head and a dangerous tail whipped from side to side, slapping against the walls of the hallway. He shifted his shoulder blades, shaking out his large, leathery wings. Malchior's head lifted, revealing the purple underside of his neck and belly.

Malchior's real body was too large for the hallway and, as he rose to his full height, he ripped through the ceiling and slithered his way up onto the roof.

Sunlight shone against the glistening scales that covered Malchior's body. He puffed out thin tendrils of smoke from his nose. He exhaled and the smoke clouded around Raven, who covered her nose with her sleeve in an attempt to keep the smoke out.

"Dear Raven, this will be a fitting end for you."

"I sealed you once." Raven spat, her eyes glowering with hate. "I'll do it again."

Malchior's eyes narrowed. "You would if you could. However, I won't let you."

"You didn't _let_ me the first time, either."

"You're right." Malchior hissed, the laughter and mocking gone from his voice. "I underestimated you last time."

Malchior sucked in a gulp of air, ready to burn Raven to a crisp, just as a green gorilla fell from the sky. Beast Boy collided with Malchior's skull and the force smashed the dragon's head straight into the ground. Beast Boy tumbled away from Malchior and his meaty gorilla fists worked on prying Raven free.

Just as one of Raven's arms slid from the dragon's grasp, Malchior blasted a fireball right at Beast Boy, who shifted immediately into a mouse. The mouse scurried across the roof as Malchior launched fireball after fireball at the tiny green rodent.

"Don't hurt my friends!" Raven roared as her glowing hand swung out.

A black line of energy whipped against Malchior's neck, causing black blood to ooze from the wound. Malchior's head jerked towards Raven once more and his red eyes narrowed on her frame.

His lips curled up in a snarl and Malchior's voice echoed in Raven's mind. "I will kill you for that."

"Go ahead and try!" Raven shrieked as she made another slash against the dragon's neck.

She lifted her hand sharply and the energy whip lashed against Malchior's head with enough force to snap his head back.

"You're weak!" Malchior growled.

A green T-Rex head butted Malchior, knocking the dragon off his feet. Malchior hissed and swung his head around to send a blast of burning fire at Beast Boy. The changeling managed to dodge, however, Malchior's thick tail slashed at the air before slamming Beast Boy down into the ground.

The roof caved under the pressure and Beast Boy dropped to the floor below.

Raven cried out his name, making Malchior roar with laughter. Raven's soul self formed into a fist and she slammed it into Malchior with all the force she could muster.

"Enough of that." Malchior barked. "Or I'll bite off that damn arm of yours."

Steam slipped from Malchior's nostrils and a deep, chesty growl rumbled in the dragon's throat. Raven clenched her teeth together and clamped her eyes shut as Malchior's claw tightened around her."No. More. Games." He snarled.

"Raven!"

Raven's head twisted to the side and she managed to crack one eye open just in time to catch the book Cyborg launched at her. Malchior laughed and Raven was positive it must have echoed around the world. "Do you think you can defeat me again?"

Raven's mouth opened, her lips already forming the chant to imprison Malchior, yet again.

"Don't even try it." The dragon's jaw snapped open and an icy blue ball of swirling energy formed in his throat.

"Did you forget about us?" Cyborg's blue laser carved a deep cut down Malchior's long neck.

The dragon thrashed from the pain and in doing so, jostled Raven to the point where the book slipped right from her fingers.

Robin launched a pair of spinning metal objects at the dragon, who swatted them away with his tail. Starfire let out a fierce battle cry as she sent several green bolts towards Malchior.

"Pathetic pests!" Malchior howled, his free hand lashing out to knock Starfire to the ground.

Robin sent two smoke bombs flying. "Leave her alone!"

The bombs exploded right around Malchior's beady red eyes and he roared in pain, throwing his head back as his howl shook the ground beneath the Titan's feet.

"I'm not done yet, you overgrown lizard." Raven's head snapped to the side as she saw Beast Boy rise from the hole in the roof.

"I've had it with you bothersome Titans!" Malchior lifted the claw holding Raven and shoved his head just inches from her face. "Forgive me, my dear, but our time together must come to an end now."

And with that, he dropped Raven. Before she could even inhale, Malchior was poised to smash her into the ground with his palm. However, Beast Boy, in the form of a T-Rex again, intervened.

He slammed his enormous head into Malchior's wrist and the dragon let out a frustrated howl. Using his tail, Malchior flung the T-Rex away. In mid-air, Beast Boy's body switched back to that of a human's.

"Beast Boy, look out!" Raven shrieked, clambering onto her feet.

Beast Boy's unconscious body zoomed through the air and right off the edge of Titan's Tower.

"No!" Raven's feet carried her across the roof and, with one leap, she propelled herself through the air.

Her arms locked tightly around Beast Boy's waist and she pulled him close to her. Panic and fear overwhelmed her senses and Raven begged the racing emotions to feed her flight. However, both her and Beast Boy now plummeted to the Earth below at an alarming rate.

_Why am I not flying? Please fly_. _**Please.**_

Raven's pleas went unheard and the wind slashed at the empath, making her eyes water. Raven hugged Beast Boy closer to her and spun her body around in a circle in mid-air.

_This is going to hurt._

Raven's back collided with the solid Earth and her body cried out in agony. The breath escaped from her lungs, leaving her breathless, as the impact brought pain to every cell in her body.

Her back arched and the force of the crash made her body bounce. She rolled in mid-air once more to protect Beast Boy from the unmerciful ground.

Raven's back met the hard Earth again and, this time, Beast Boy slipped from her grasp. His unconscious body rolled away from her as Raven tumbled across the Island's rocky surface.

Her body skidded to a halt on its side, dust and rocks flying up from the force.

Raven's body burned with pain and her eyesight blurred, threatening to go out and send her into total darkness. Her hearing dimmed to the point where only her heart's rhythmic beat reached her.

However, the distant cry of victory from Malchior managed to break through the deafness blocking Raven's ears.

* * *

**Ah, I missed Malchior. Lol I'll admit, I had the biggest crush on him...or Rorek o_o uh...well whatever! haha Their names are so cool! Rorek and Malchior! Don't try and say those aren't awesome names! Enough of my fangirl rants! Please leave a review or message me to let me know what you think! :D Thank you! **_-Anii_


	5. Chapter 5

**I hope you guys are enjoying this :)**

**If you have a problem, please talk to me.**

**If you're curious about something or want to comment on something**

**please feel free to message me. I don't bite :D**

**The edit button on here tried to change "message" to "massage" o.e**

**Weird.**

_-Anii_

* * *

**Chapter 5: "Can you feel your heartbeat racing? Can you taste the fear in your sweat?"**

_**― A Boy Brushed Red by Underoath**_

Gravel bit into the soft flesh of Raven's face and her body graciously slipped into a state of numbness as it healed itself.

Trembling arms pushed Raven's upper body from the ground and she touched the side of her head. Her vision dipped for a moment but returned and Raven managed to keep her head up.

She examined her damaged body. Her jeans were ripped and she felt disgusting as she noticed the smeared mud caked all over her body. Mud clung to her front and streaked down her legs. She could feel the damp mud making her hoodie stick to the skin of her back.

Raven grimaced. _I need a shower._

"What the hell!?" Robin's loud voice bounced around Raven's skull, making her wince in pain.

"Why didn't you fly?!" Robin ranted, his booming voice not lowering a single level.

"Robin…" Starfire put a hand out to touch Robin's shoulder.

"Stop it, Starfire." Robin slid away from her, his masked eyes glaring at Raven. "Why. Didn't. You. Fly?"

"…up." Raven's whispered words barely even reached her own ears.

Fear and confusion tangled themselves around her heart and her body began to shake. Raven's hands crossed over her chest and her fingers gripped her shoulders tightly in a hug.

"Answer me!" Robin shrieked.

"_Shut up_!" Black energy slithered out from Raven's body and slashed at Robin, who jerked away with only a slice down the front of his shirt.

"Hey!" Cyborg hollered, his metal body stepping between Robin and Raven. "Enough of this. We're all just tired and need a good rest, alright?"

Robin opened his mouth to protest but Cyborg cut him off, "I said enough, Robin."

Cyborg knelt beside Raven, his voice becoming a soft murmur. "Could you take us back to the hotel, Rae?"

Raven, her eyes wide, nodded her head and swung her arm out. A black disk formed under all five of the Titans and slowly, they sank through the ground. The team members dropped down into the room the girl's shared.

Starfire carefully laid Beast Boy out on the king-sized bed and smoothed his hair back. "Poor Beast Boy."

Cyborg rose to his feet and sat on the couch against the wall. He flipped open a section of his arm, yanked out a plug, and slid it in the light socket. "Anyone else getting tired of getting our asses whooped?"

Robin ran his hands through his hair. "Now we have Malchior to deal with."

Icy blue light clouded around Raven's hands as she neared Beast Boy. She had so much to say but her mind seemed stuck. It was like her body could only perform the basics at this point and Raven knew her frantic emotions were causing the lock up.

Her hands swept across Beast Boy's body and a groan gurgled up from the changeling's throat. As Beast Boy's eyes cracked open, Raven's world began to sway.

Her vision tunneled and her energy fled from her limbs. She was out before her body hit the floor.

••••••••

"…ven? Raven?"

Raven's eyes flew open and she bolted upright, her head jerking back and forth. Sunlight trickled in through the drawn stark-white curtains.

Silkie nuzzled against Raven's side, all of his stubby legs wiggling as he dreamt. Raven turned her pounding head at the sound of Starfire's voice. "Oh good. You are awake."

Raven glanced down at her body to find the mud strained and torn clothing gone and replaced by one of Starfire's purchases. "It suits you, does it not?" Starefire clapped her hands together cheerfully.

Raven sighed, giving in as her eyes landed on Starfire's smiling face, "Yeah."

Starfire's head tilted to the side, her happy smile remaining even though her eyes flooded with concern. "How are you feeling?"

Raven shrugged her shoulders. "I've been better." Raven stared at the little pink slug beside her as she asked, "How's Beast Boy?"

Starfire's smile broadened. "He is perfectly healthy. He is in the game room with Cyborg if you wish to see him."

Raven stroked Silkie's exposed belly as Starfire's voice lowered, "Raven, I am sorry about last night."

Raven glanced at Starfire. "Sorry about what?"

"You fought with your former lover and Robin was very harsh with you."

Raven slid onto the side of the bed, flipping her hood up, and created a dent in the mattress that sent Silkie rolling until he collided with her back. Starfire scooped the slug-like creature up into her arms swiftly and her fingers massaged Silkie's head.

"Don't apologize. It wasn't your fault." Raven stood up and brushed past Starfire. "I'm going to take a shower."

"Robin wishes to leave in an hour's time to go speak with friend Aqualad." Starfire continued to stroke Silkie's head as Raven closed the bathroom door behind her.

Thoughts about last night rolled around in Raven's skull as she numbly tossed her clothing to the floor. Who released Malchior and for what purpose? Was it to get to the Titans?

_God, aren't the villains happy enough that we're hated by the very people we try to protect? _Raven hissed angrily as she cranked the knob in the shower. Hot water spewed out from the shower head and rained down in the little porcelain tub.

Raven's eyes narrowed as more thoughts whizzed through her mind. Malchior wasn't one to follow "orders" so what were his motives? Was someone really stupid enough to release Malchior and think that he wouldn't have his own agenda?

The raging questions gave Raven a headache and she nimbly climbed into the tub, sliding the frosted glass door closed behind her.

She tilted her head back, allowing the water to soak her neck and slither down her chest and stomach. Thin trails of water snaked down her legs and Raven closed her eyes, allowing the burning liquid to soothe her aching muscles.

She shoved thoughts of Malchior from her mind but, unfortunately, this allowed a new line of thinking to dominate Raven's mind. Her eyes flew open and her entire body immediately turned to ice even under the scorching downpour from the shower head.

_Why couldn't I fly last night?_

Nothing had been wrong with her emotions. She had been panicked, angry and afraid but she had accepted those things so why didn't she fly? Raven swallowed the lump in her throat and noticed that her jaw was clenched tightly.

In fact, her entire body was as tight as a coiled spring. Slowly, she relaxed her muscles and shook off the ice that had immobilized her body.

Raven dunked her head under the steady stream of water, her eyes staring down at her feet. Water trailed down her neck and back in erratic patterns, hugging every curve of her body as it gracefully made its way down to the bottom of the tub. _( Anii Note: "Erratic" NOT "Erotic" -_-)_

Raven's eyes narrowed and she murmured aloud, "Damn it."

She made a mental note to watch herself carefully for anymore "strange" absences of abilities and tilted her head back once more.

_Can we beat this? Can we handle it all? The bad guys, the hatred, the sleep deprivation? _Raven groaned at the thought of the last one.

_I don't know. But we have to…we just have to._

••••••••

Raven's mother, Arella, sat on her bed with her legs tucked under her and watched as the Titan's stuffed their simple backpacks with a few of their gadgets. She hugged Raven's giant chicken to her chest as she asked, "You're going to Atlantis?"

"Right." Raven answered simply as she cinched the strings of her backpack shut tight.

"I'll never be able to thank you enough for your help, Miss Roth." Robin threw his backpack over his shoulder.

Arella shrugged her shoulders and shifted her legs so they dangled over the edge of her bed. "I haven't done much besides act as a storage closet. It's the least I can do."

"Still, it means a lot. It's a huge help that we can keep our stuff here in Azarath with you." Robin smiled charmingly.

It didn't seem to faze Arella in the slightest. She stared blankly at the Titan's leader then gave the stuffed chicken a squeeze.

"We would have lost all of our technology, too, if you hadn't helped out." Cyborg tapped away at a keyboard on his forearm but the sincerity rang clear.

Raven stepped forward to offer her mom one of her rare smiles. "Thanks, mother. We'll be back soon to let you know what happened."

Arella simply nodded her head and waved her hand towards them, "Hurry, hurry. Don't keep your friends waiting."

Raven turned away from her mother to glance at her fellow team members. Everyone was in their old uniforms and it brought back an overwhelming sense of comfort to Raven. In her black leotard and blue cape, she felt invincible. She flipped up her hood proudly and moved towards the T-Ship.

Raven hopped into her section and pulled the bubble lid closed over her head. The other Titans piled into the submarine and Raven's head set crackled with Cyborg's voice. "Ready to go Titans?"

"Why are we taking the T-Ship again?" Beast Boy's voice rang out over the communication system. "Can't Raven just beam us there?"

"I don't _beam_ anyone." Raven mumbled with one last glance at her mother.

"What if Aqualad needs our help? We'd be sitting ducks if an enemy attacked in the water. Better safe than sorry." Robin reasoned.

Raven could see Beast Boy shrug his shoulders in his own little bubble space.

"We good to go guys?" Cyborg asked, excitement creeeping into his voice.

Each team member answered with a 'yes' and Cyborg grinned, "Alright, then let's go, Rae."

Raven's lips mouthed the oh-so-familiar chant and a wide black oval expanded beneath the ship. It sucked the sub deep into its inky depths before spitting them out straight into the Atlantic Ocean.

"Alright!" Cyborg cheered. "Passengers, we will be reaching our destination in less than an hour. Please sit tight and Beast Boy don't you get none of that vegetarian food on my upholstery!"

Her job done, Raven scanned through the numerous buttons before her with mild interest as her thoughts soared elsewhere.

They didn't get very far, however, because Robin's voice boomed over the communication system. "Raven?!"

"What?! Raven snapped, startled so badly that she actually jumped.

"I've been _trying_ to get your attention forever." Robin grumbled.

"It was a minute, Robin." Cyborg replied smoothly. "Cool your circuits, dude." _(Anii Comment: Hehe so corny xD)_

"Is everything okay?" The softness in Robin's voice created a lump of guilt in Raven's throat for snapping at him.

"Yeah. It's all good back here."

"I wasn't talking about the ship. Are _you_ alright?"

When she didn't answer right away, Robin spoke to Cyborg, "Cyborg, can Raven I speak privately?"

"You got five minutes. After that I'll miss you guys too much." Cyborg answered, the laughter back in his voice like it usually was. "Turning off Star's speaker."

"Please be nice, Robin." Starfire pleaded.

_Click_

"Turning off Beast Boy's speaker."

Beast Boy cried out indignantly, "Oh come on dude, that's not fa-!"

_Click_

"Turning off my speaker."

The last soft click ensued and then complete silence. Raven waited for Robin to speak but he didn't. She cleared her throat. "Why'd you have Cyborg turn off everyone's speaker?"

"I thought you might want to talk about things privately." Robin replied.

Raven's gaze lingered over the buttons again, "I'm fine, Robin."

"Alright." She could hear in his voice that Robin wasn't pleased by her answer."I'm sorry I've been such an ass lately."

Raven shrugged her shoulders. "I get it. We're all tired."

"It's more than that, Rae. I'm not just tired or worried anymore. I'm freaking out." Robin's voice lowered and Raven felt a shiver run down her spine as Robin echoed the same fears she had deep in her heart.

"We're supposed to be the good guys. But are we anymore? If the people hate us and don't want us, then we aren't really heroes. We're menaces. I've been calling myself a hero so long I don't know how to be anything else. What if we never clear our name? What if we split up…?"

Raven wanted to tell both Robin and herself that those things wouldn't happen. She wanted to have faith but she wasn't that type of person - a menace. "All we can do is try. If things don't change, we just have to learn to live with it."

"Would you be okay going back to Azarath and never seeing us again?"

Raven felt her heart shudder at the thought and she answered honestly, "No."

"I'm glad." Raven thought she heard a laugh in Robin's voice, something rare nowadays.

Cyborg's voice came on over the system. He sniffed loudly as he wailed, "Those were the longest five minutes of my life!"

The Titans laughed at Cyborg's dramatic show and even Raven let out a pure hearted chuckle. But deep down, she was terrified. Terrified because even Robin saw a bleak future for the Titans. If their fearless leader was afraid, maybe there wasn't a future with the Titans in it anymore.

* * *

**Shower scenes just always end up sexual -_- lol there's almost no way to **_**not **_**make them that way. Sorry! I promise that was NOT my attention. Honestly. Please don't think I'm some kind of perv ;_; -**_Anii_


	6. Chapter 6

**I have this Friday off ! :D**

**So, I'm going to spend my time updating/editing if I can.**

**I am so happy I finally get to use one of my favorite songs**

**as a chapter title.**

**I have lots of favorite bands but come on,**

**Three Days Grace is basically what I compare new bands to**

**to see if they're worthy of being on my iPod xD**

_-Anii_

* * *

**Chapter 6: "Somebody help me contain this animal!"**

_**― Animal I've Become By Three Days Grace**_

_Ding. _"We have reached our destination, Titans." Cyborg chirped. "Please exit the T-Ship in an orderly fashion. Thank you for choosing-"

"We get it!" Someone snapped.

Raven's eyes fluttered open and she stretched her sleeping limbs until she heard several satisfying cracks. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes in just enough time to see a fat red fish dart away from the rising T-Ship.

Water streaked down Raven's glass dome as the sub broke through the surface of the ocean. Raven unhooked her harness and took off her headset as the bubble lid flipped open, allowing Raven to hop out and on to solid land.

"Good to see you again, Raven."

Raven twisted her head to the right as her favorite Atlantean sauntered over. "H-hi…"

Aqualad ran his hands through his soaking wet jet black hair, a laugh trickling out of his throat. "You haven't changed much."

"We're here, too." Beast Boy hissed, leaping out of the T-Ship. "God, I come all this way just to see you and I can't even get a hello!"

Aqualad chuckled and clapped the grumpy changeling on the back. "Good to see you, Beast Boy. Still peeved that I beat you at that race we had?"

"You did _not_ win." Beast Boy crossed his arms defiantly but a smile spread across his face. "My fin got caught."

Robin's solemn voice broke through Beast Boy and Aqualad's playful banter, "Where is everyone?"

Aqualad's smile fell to the floor and he turned his chiseled back to the group, "They're in The Center."

Raven swallowed, trying to suppress the fear building in her chest. She glanced silently at Robin, who nodded his head, before following Aqualad down the twisting cavern corridors.

A soft shoulder brushed against hers in a gentle nudge. When Raven looked up, it was Beast Boy. His usual grin was plastered on his face, "You ready for this?"

"No." She answered honestly.

Beast Boy's ears lowered and his voice dropped to a soft whisper, "Neither am I."

A silence lapsed between them but Raven didn't mind. She wouldn't admit it to him even if he tortured her but having a friend so close while her heart was pounding with panic felt comforting.

It was strange for her to panic so badly. She had never been frightened of impending doom; impending doom hovered over the Titans like an ominous grey cloud. She was afraid of the questions Robin had brought up. Where they really the good guys anymore? (Anii Note: Grey and Gray are the same thing! I checked xD 'Grey' is used in Britain and 'gray' is used in America apparently. Well I decided to spice it up so guess what!? I'm an American using 'grey'. Oooo such a rebel. Pft hahaha. )

_We don't even know what we're dealing with. This isn't just some madman trying to destroy the world. This is something much deeper; I can feel it._ With the citizens in an uproar, it made the Titans job so much more difficult. Whatever villain had spoken out against the Titans was succeeding splendidly in their plans.

Raven's hand slipped up and over her heart as the group walked further towards the middle of the cave. She inhaled and exhaled slowly in an attempt to relax her raging heart.

It worked.

For a total of five minutes, at least. The moment Aqualad announced their arrival, Raven's heart doubled its pace and she thought she would have a full-blown panic attack. _Why am I so nervous? _Sensing her fear, Beast Boy pulled her off to the side.

As the others passed by one by one, Robin stopped and stared at them questioningly. Beast Boy smiled and waved him off, "Give us a minute."

"You better hurry. I don't want you to miss something." Robin followed the others into the cavern's belly where the other Titans awaited.

Beast Boy put both hands on Raven's shoulders and he bent down the slightest so he could look at her face. "Why are you taller than me?" Raven asked meekly, her gaze drifting away from his.

"Because I'm a guy." Was Beast Boy's simple answer. "Are you alright?"

Raven bobbed her head up and down.

"Are you positive?"

Again, Raven nodded.

"Alright, just breathe."

Raven bent her head until her chin touched her chest in attempt to hide the blush creeping up into her cheeks. "Since when did you become mister dependable?"

Beast Boy's fingers wrapped around Raven's hand as he tugged her into the spacious area where the Titans meeting was being held. "Since someone finally needed me."

The crowd inside was rather large and Beast Boy and Raven had to wiggle their way through to get to a good spot. The changeling muttered something incomprehensible before pulling Raven through tiny spaces between bodies, their hands still joined.

A blonde-haired Titan came into view. He had his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes locked in front of him. Beast Boy smiled at the guy and whispered, "Hey, Jericho."

Jericho turned, his large green eyes smiling brightly at the sight of Beast Boy.

"Titans," Robin's clear voice rang out in the large cavern as he climbed up on a rock to be seen. "I called you all here today to take count of who's still with us."

"Gruesome." Beast Boy mumbled under his breath.

A slight humming noise buzzed in Raven's ears but she brushed it aside as Robin spoke up once more.

"You all know of the sudden hatred in the hearts of the citizens for superheroes, I hope. Many of you have probably had your homes destroyed and been tormented by the very people you try to protect. I know. My team knows that feeling. We were thrown from our homes and we live under the radar now." Robin's head lowered the slightest before he shouted the next part of his speech. "So, I won't blame any of you, if you decide to leave."

The silent room thrummed with the tension forming. One Titan spoke up, "Leave? Leave what? The Titans?"

"Not just the Titans." Robin answered. "What I mean is, if you decide to leave behind the life of a superhero."

A collective gasp rang throughout the cavern but Robin silenced it with one crisp hand motion. "It's hard on some of you - maybe even all of you, I get that. I understand which is why no one here - _no one _- will judge you. If you have decided that you'd rather live a normal life, all I ask is that you please leave this place before we drag you into something you don't want to be a part of."

Robin paused, allowing time for the idea to mull around in the Titans' minds, and the whole room held their breath. Would someone really leave? For some, leaving wouldn't be possible. Not a single muscle moved as the group waited for someone to quit the life of a superhero.

No one did.

"So then, we're all going to try and clear our names?" Robin's booming voice startled Raven, who clutched Beast Boy's hand tighter involuntarily. "This won't be easy. If you have any doubts, I implore you to just walk out the way you came and forget everything."

Again, the whole room waited and again, no one moved.

A tingling sensation fluttered from the tips of Raven's fingers and lodged in her shoulder. Her skin prickled as if her arm were immersed in a bin of tiny, vibrating beads. Raven's eyes narrowed the slightest in confusion but she forced her focus back to the Titans' meeting. She did, however, flex her smarting fingers.

"Alright, then we can begin." Robin cleared his throat. "We don't have many ideas about who could be behind the sudden change in the citizens but we have a hunch it's not natural. Does anyone have clues to the unknown villain? Has anyone been attacked?"

A purple-gloved hand rose and several other hands followed suit. One after another, hands rose until every hand - minus the original Titans' - was lifted high into the air.

Robin ran his fingers through his hair, a sigh puffing past his lips. "I'd like for all of you to tell me about what's happened but since there's so many, I would like each Team Leader to come talk to me know and if individuals would like to talk to me later, please do. I'll be right here with my team. Thank you."

Robin leapt down from his pedestal and loud murmurs rippled through the crowd of superheroes. The sensation in Raven's arms began to shift and suddenly her skin was feverish. She released Beast Boy's hand to clutch at her upper arm, clenching her jaw.

"Anything happen to you, Jericho?" Beast Boy asked, pretending not to watch Raven.

The blonde-haired boy turned his head, his eyes sparkling, but his lips didn't move.

"Right. Forgot about the whole mute thing." Beast Boy rubbed the back of his head with his now free hand.

"Mute?" Raven asked, her eyes scanning Jericho.

"Yeah. Jericho doesn't talk." Beast Boy twisted around to face Raven, "Why?"

Jericho stared back at Raven, his eye glinting cheerfully as if he were amused by her curiosity. The warm feeling consuming her arm changed once more into a throbbing pain that seemed to pulse down the length of her arm. It wasn't just a sensation now, Raven could feel the pulsating beat running down her arm through her fingertips. Suddenly, as if a flip switched, Jericho's eyes narrowed. Raven opened her mouth to ask him what was wrong but a howl resounded around the room.

Her head swiveled around to find the owner of the vicious howl but Jericho and Beast Boy's penetrating gazes made a lump the size of a softball form in her throat. _Oh god..._

To her horror, Raven realized the howl had come from her own throat. Her fingers released her arm to brush across the skin of her neck momentarily. Blinding white light seared her eyes and every cell in her body burned with hot anger. She pressed her palms into her eye sockets as sudden, indefinable rage ripped through her body. Beast Boy lunged to grab her but Raven easily avoided him, even without her vision. The Titans still in the cavern turned to stare as Raven thrashed around in a circle.

A demonic voice passed over her lips and Raven questioned where it came from, "I'll kill you. I'll kill all of you!"

Raven clamped her mouth shut, her teeth grinding together as she fought to control the terrifying anger coursing through her veins. She lashed out, her finger nail slicing a nice cut along Beast Boy's cheek.

He stared at her, wide-eyed, as a thin line of blood trailed down the curve of his cheek. Strong arms latched on to her and Raven bucked wildly, trying to free herself. "Let go of me!" The demonic voice shrieked. "I'll slit open your throat and-!"

A hand clamped over her mouth, effectively sealing off the threat. Hot tears burned her eyes as Raven begged the anger to dissipate. It didn't.

Fiery rage went on a rampage inside her mind as she imagined slaughtering dozens of inhabitants of the meeting room. She was so engrossed with her thoughts, she didn't even realize that someone had dragged her off down the hallway away from the other Titans and towards the T-Ship.

Raven fought hard against her captor even though her mind prayed for them to grasp her even tighter. _Please don't let me go. I'm a monster. I'm a monster, _she screamed mentally. She didn't want to know what she would do to her fellow team members if she was released. Thankfully, the person didn't release her, not entirely.

Jericho set Raven on the ground as gently as possible, his hands locked on her shoulders. golden curls curved against his face. One curl hooked dangerously close to his large eyes. Raven tried to wiggle away but Jericho's thin body hid his true strength. A slew of insults dripped from her lips but Jericho didn't even flinch. Not even when Raven sank her teeth into the flesh of his forearm.

Jericho's thumb and index finger brushed along her jaw line on either side of Raven's face and applied pressure to a specific spot. Raven's jaw immediately dropped open and she managed to force out a few of her own words.

"What's happening to me?" She sobbed in a voice heavy with confusion and fear.

* * *

**I don't know if you guys remember Jericho. He probably got like a total of 20 minutes on the show lol xD I apologize, I should have mentioned this before: I use characters from the comics as well. You'll see that more in future chapters. Sorry, the villains in Teen Titans are pretty boring (minus Red X) or overused. I wanted to try a little something different**_ -Anii_


	7. Chapter 7

_**UPDATE 3-18-13**_

_**Could ANYONE with musical skill please contact me?**_

_**I require musical skills for a future chapter but I have none xD**_

_**I'll explain the details to anyone interested. Thank you!**_

**The voice in Raven's head is now going to be in italics and bolded.**

**Just to separate Raven's actual thoughts from the voice.**

**Oh god.**

**One of my characters hears voices in her head xD Lovely.**

**I'm going with Beast Boy's history from the DC comics.**

**The back stories are REALLY similar with just a few little changes.**

**As always, any questions just ask me :)**

_-Anii_

* * *

**Chapter 7:** "**What's wrong, what's wrong with me?"**

― _**Hear Me Now by Framing Hanley**_

Several, panicky minutes ticked by like hours as the rage built inside Raven's chest, rumbling and roaring angrily. It demanded to be free and beat against the walls of her will, which weakened with each passing moment.

Jericho's fingers dug into the flesh of her shoulder and Raven struggled to keep her blurred vision on his expressive green eyes. Tears welled up behind her own eyes as her rage surged forth, consuming her and casting her into a blood-red sea of roiling, negative emotions.

She watched as her arms swung out at Jericho. The man didn't move a muscle to protect himself. He accepted the blows with a straight face, his eyes locked on Raven. She slashed at him, her finger nails tearing into the clothing Jericho wore.

_**Kill him. Kill him! **_The rage hissed inside her head.

_I can't do this. I can't beat this thing inside me._ Raven's own anger and frustration mixed with the already present rage.

_**Yes, that's it. Feed your hatred; feed me**__, _the voice crooned.

"Stop it." Raven hissed back through clenched teeth.

Jericho patiently held on to Raven, even as a fat red drop of blood streamed down his cheek and a purplish bruise formed around the curve of his jaw line. Raven's guilt washed over her, knocking aside the rage.

The furry in her howled, but still guilt triumphed, momentarily suppressing the anger that had nearly drowned her only moments ago. Raven's raspy breaths echoed around the rocky cave walls as she regained control over her mind and body slowly.

Sweat lightly coated her body and Raven's muscles gave out. Her arms dropped to the floor as her head lolled forward, colliding gently with Jericho's shoulder. Jericho's hands snaked around her trembling body as he held her in a soft hug.

With each deep, ragged inhale Raven took, the scent of spearmint wafted up her nostrils.

"Jericho, how's Rae-"

Raven couldn't lift her head from Jericho's shoulder but she knew the familiar voice well. Tension filled the air as Jericho swiveled his head around to face Beast Boy.

"Is she crying? What the hell happened?" Beast Boy barked.

Raven lifted a trembling hand and begged her mouth to form the words but it disobeyed. Both her and Jericho were now mute. The sound of shoes shuffling against the rocky floor of the cave bounced around in Raven's aching skull, forcing her eyes to squeeze shut.

The warmth Jericho provided vanished and her eyes popped open. Without Jericho's body to support her, Raven's body fell forward. She couldn't even throw her hands up to protect her face.

A thin arm crossed over her chest, holding her upright. Beast Boy whispered softly to her as he propped her body against a rather smooth section of cavern wall. "I need to take Jerchio to see Robin for a moment. I'll be right back, I promise. Try and sleep, okay?"

_That won't be hard_, Raven thought as her eyes fluttered closed and a thick fog clogged her mind. Soft waves lapped at the edges of the hole in the cave floor where the T-Ship waited patiently. The repetitive sound lulled her closer to the brink of sleep and her muscles relaxed as warmth swept up her body. The angry voice had subsided for now but she didn't know how long it would last.

She forced the pessimistic thoughts from her mind and let herself slip further into the comforting arms of Sleep. _**You'd like it if I just disappeared wouldn't you?**_

Raven's entire body froze with panic as the voice washed over her like an icy tsunami. Raven flopped on her stomach her mind locked on the gentle waves that the T-Ship sat it. She clenched her jaw tightly, ignoring the bellowing screams in her mind.

_I have to splash my face. I'll be fine. _Raven encouraged herself even though she knew a little dab of water would do nothing.

She crawled on her stomach, her hands clawing at the ground to pull her closer to her salvation. She ignored the biting pain in her fingers as the sharp floor sliced through the sensitive skin. Joy cut right through the fear in her chest as she pulled herself closer to the lip of the cave entrance. She slid up into a sitting position and shoved her hands into the frigid water.

Raven cupped the refreshing water between her hands and doused herself. Unfortunately, the chilly water did nothing to ease the fiery rage scorching her body. _No. No, stop._ Raven pleaded, her mind already receding as the rage began to take over her body once more.

Raven watched her rippling reflection as a change in her eyes began. _**You're angry with those humans.**_

Her heart hammered in her chest as her entire eyes transformed into the color of burning embers. _**You want to kill them.**_

"No." Raven whispered meekly.

_**Yes. You want them all dead for the pain they've caused you.**_

"Stop it."

_**They hurt your friends. They kicked you out of your home.**_

"Go away."

_**They're ungrateful for all the things you've done for them. They deserve punishment. They deserve to die.**_

Raven grabbed her head between both hands and threw it back, a cry of pure agony ripping from her throat. "Shut up!"

_**I can feel it in you, Raven: the animalistic furry residing in you!**_

She clutched her head tightly, her body writhing with a fiery sensation that burned her inside and out. "Leave me alone!"

_**Never! We're one in the same!**_

Raven's thrashings brought her closer to the edge of the cave than she had thought and, before she could blink, she was tumbling deep into the water's depths.

_Move! _Raven ordered her limbs as she sunk deeper into the Ocean.

_**If you won't accept me, **_the voice spat, _**then there's no use for us to continue living.**_

_No! _Raven thought, her brain frantically calling out to her limbs, begging them to move. She was frozen; her body was completely disobeying her.

_**If we cannot live together, Raven, let us die together!**_

Raven's lungs pleaded for breath as the voice locked up Raven's extremities. The furry inside her howled with laughter. Raven's mouth opened wide in a scream, causing her to inhale a mouthful of salty water.

She gagged, trying to force the water back out but she only succeed in allowing more water into her lungs where it didn't belong. The salt water burned her throat. Light from the cave trickled down into the water, acting like a beacon Raven desperately wanted to reach.

_No. I won't want to die. _Raven thought wildly as fog crept into her mind.

Her eyes fluttered closed as the fog grew thicker in her skull. _Of all the ways it could end...this wasn't what I expected._

A muffled crashing sound snapped Raven's eyes open and brushed aside the fog enough to register what was happening. Slender arms clenched around her waist and suddenly Raven was being tugged from the water. Hope soared in her chest as her legs began to weakly kick and the anger that had threatened to consume her, vanished without so much as a faint cry.

Raven's head burst through the surface and her lungs spewed the water out of them as fast as possible. Her body shook as she gasped for fresh air that forced away the fog clouding her mind. She clung to her savior who calmly waited for her to stop heaving out sea water before pulling her completely out of the water and onto solid ground.

As Raven collapsed onto her hands and knees, someone whispered, "Raven, why the hell didn't you swim."

Raven lifted her head to reply but her voice failed her as she met the clear concern in Beast Boy's eyes. His lips pursed into a hard line as he waited for an answer. Suddenly, his warm hands were on either side of her face and he was pushing away the wet hair clinging to her face.

Raven felt trembling fingers against her face and she coughed out, "I couldn't move."

Beast Boy's lips parted to speak but Robin interrupted, "We've got a problem."

Robin's eyes narrowed as he took in his two soaked team members. "What happen-" He waved his hand, cutting himself off. "Never mind. You two stay behind. I'll take Aqualad and Jericho with us."

Robin's eyes fell on Raven, "We have to talk later."

Raven weakly nodded and the Titan's leader spun around from where he came. Beast Boy's arms slid around Raven, pulling her against him. Raven's hand swung out and a black disk formed beneath them. "We shouldn't stay in these wet clothes."

Her head fell on his shoulder as they slowly sank through the energy portal below.

Beast Boy shrugged his shoulders gently, "My suit's waterproof."

"I don't have that luxury." Her comment was meant to be a joke but her voice was too weak and the words barely made it out of her mouth.

"Raven," Beast Boy's voice was soft and gentle. "I want you to tell me what's happening with you."

Raven clenched her jaw as tears threatened to spill down her cheeks. The fear that had filled her surged forth but she nodded slightly, "I'll try."

••••••••

Arella smoothed back her daughter's damp hair, "Raven, what happened?"

Raven's violet eyes found her mother's and a smile graced her lips, "It was nothing. I just fell in the water."

Her voice sounded hoarse and her throat burned as she spoke. The salty taste of the ocean still had not left her mouth.

Arella sighed, "Will you ever be honest with me?"

"I don't want to worry you." Raven answered honestly as she pulled away from Arella and tugged on her clean clothing.

Unfortunately, the only dry and clean bottoms she had were one of the items Starfire bought for her. She plucked at the thin fabric of the white miniskirt and sighed. It's better than nothing. She did, however, have one of Beast Boy's choices for a top. The shirt was black with white flower designs down her ribcage and sides. the top also came with a hood, much to Raven's delight.

_If a fashionista could see me now, I'd probably have my eyes clawed out. _Raven joked to herself.

Raven kissed her mother's cheek and muttered her thanks as she vanished back to the place where she left Beast Boy.

Her feet padded lightly against the plush grass of the small island. Beast Boy sat on the edge of a rock, his hands in his lap. Raven approached him from behind and sat beside him. "Thanks." Raven said softly, the wind brushing against her skin soothingly as the water lapped at the island's edge below. "For saving me."

Beast Boy frowned, a vacant look in his eyes as he stared on ahead. "What happened?"

Raven sighed, gathering the courage to explain the frightening occurrence. "I don't really know. I can't tell you much."

"Try." Beast Boy insisted.

She pursed her lips and took a deep breath. "Something's wrong with my powers."

Beast Boy's eyes scrunched together but he waited patiently for her to go on and patience was not something Beast Boy normally exuded.

"I have nothing else to say."

"That's it?" Beast Boy turned to face her. "So your powers made you have a tantrum in that crowded room and made you take a dive in the ocean?"

Raven's head bowed. "My emotions and powers are linked."

Beast Boy exhaled harshly and pushed his hands through his hair. Raven glanced at him, "You don't have to be so mature, you know."

"This isn't the time to be immature." His response was so unlike him, it sent a current of sorrow through Raven's heart.

"I liked the old you though." She whispered as she hugged her knees to her chest.

The muscles along Beast Boy's jaw shifted, "That's a lie."

Raven narrowed her eyes and she hissed, "Why? Is it so hard to believe that seeing someone happy all the time is a bad thing?"

"You constantly berated me for being immature."

"It was just something I did. It didn't mean I didn't like seeing you smiling." Raven felt a blush paint her cheeks as she gaped at her outburst.

Beast Boy's face tilted towards her and a grin dominated his face. "So you admit you actually like me?"

Infuriated that she had been tricked, Raven flung herself onto her feet.

Beast Boy's fingers coiled around her wrist. "Hey, hey. Calm yourself. Sit."

As she did so, Beast Boy's face became bitter, "I'm right, though. I can't be immature at a time like this. Once everything's back to normal, I'll be myself again."

"How can you be so optimistic?" Raven whispered.

"Because it's all I've got." Beast Boy closed his eyes as a particularly strong gust of wind swooped by.

Raven's head lowered the slightest. "What happened to you?"

Beast Boy blinked, confusion clear in his face. "What do you mean?"

Raven felt awkward and wished she could take her question back. From the look on Beast Boy's face, however, she knew he wouldn't let it go. "Robin was the son of acrobats, Cyborg was injured during an accident, Starfire's an alien-"

"Oh." Beast Boy's gaze lowered. "You mean what happened to make me the way I am?"

"I shouldn't have asked. I'm sorry."

"My mom and dad were really into wildlife and they traveled a lot." He began, as if he hadn't heard her. "I was raised in the jungles of Africa, India, and Brazil."

Raven's eyes widened and a light fluttering erupted in her heart. She twisted her body so she faced him and played the attentive listener.

"One day, I was bitten by this rare monkey they were studying. They tried to save me by giving me this kind of antidote and it worked. It worked a lot." Beast Boy smiled weakly. It wasn't a forced grin or bitter in the least. He was proud of his powers, Raven could tell. But she knew the wavering in his smile was from what came next in his story.

"My skin, hair, and eyes all turned green and I could shape-shift into any animal I wanted but they didn't care. They were just happy I was alive." Beast Boy's head tilted back as he took in the starry sky above. "They died in a boating accident."

Raven didn't move, she didn't even inhale. She was at a loss. Should she tell him she was sorry? Should she console him? How was she supposed to do that without making them both feel awkward? Having friends was both exhilarating and frustrating.

"I could have done something. I could have saved them." Beast Boy's eyes burned brightly and his voice was harsh.

Raven's eyes widened. "Are you serious?"

"I'm a superhero. I could have done something." Beast Boy hissed.

Raven's eyes narrowed, "No you couldn't have. You're a superhero _now_. You weren't then. You were just a kid. Have you seriously been beating yourself up over this for all these years, Beast Boy?"

The anger depleted the slightest in him. "Garfield."

Raven arched one eyebrow, "Excuse me?"

Beast Boy took in a deep breath then glanced at her sheepishly. "My name's Garfield Mark Logan."

It took several moments for Raven's brain to register this new bit of information and when it did, she found herself snorting with contained laughter.

Beast Boy blushed, much to Raven's surprise, "Cut it out. I didn't pick my name."

"Garfield? Like that fat cat who eats lasagna in those comics?"

Beast Boy's body shrunk down to the size of an overly large cat and he grinned devilishly at her. He flicked his tail and purred, "Meow."

Raven's stomach ached as she howled with laughter. She bent forward, clutching her stomach as a solitary tear trickled down her cheek. Startled, Raven said, "I'm not crying because I'm sad."

Beast Boy shifted back to his normal shape, "I know." His thumb wiped away the tear.

Raven finally regained composure and asked, "So what happened next? How'd you end up with the Doom Patrol?"

Beast Boy shrugged his shoulders. "I got put in this guy, Nicholas Galtry's, custody, and he embezzled money for a while. For some reason he called me "Craig", I don't know. Anyways, He tried to have me killed a bunch of times."

"And?" Raven nudged his shoulder.

"And my adoptive parents saved me every time." Beast Boy smiled. "Rita and Steve exposed Galtry in the courts and took custody of me."

"Rita and Steve, they're Doom Patrol members?" Raven asked.

Beast Boy bobbed his head but his eyes filled with sadness, "Kind of."

Raven didn't want to press further and upset him but Beast Boy seemed to want to speak so she asked, "How so?"

"Rita, Elasti-Girl, died." Beast Boy cleared his throat. "And- uh - Steve, Mento, isn't doing so hot."

Raven tore her gaze from him and plucked at thin blades of grass. A silence fell between them and Raven felt compelled to say, "I don't understand how you can be the way you are with a past like that."

Beast Boy laughed lightly, "I guess it's in my nature."

"It's not in mine." Raven swallowed hard around the question forming in her throat. "Are you afraid of me?"

Startled, Beast boy shifted away from her slightly, his eyes widening. "What?"

"I said-"

"I know what you said." Beast Boy waved a hand between them. "But did you really ask that? Of course not, Raven."

"I'm mortified that Jericho saw me like that. I just met him. He must think I'm crazy."

"Well, the only way for you to find out is to ask him." Beast Boy shrugged his shoulders and smiled at her.

"He's mute."

Beast Boy pointed at her, a mocking look on his face. "And you're an empath who can read people's emotions. What's the problem?"

"I just feel" Raven sighed, running her hand through her hair. "I feel silly."

"Oh I see."

Raven's eyes cut across to his grinning face. The grin was odd, however; it wasn't like his usual grin. It almost looked…forced. "See what?"

"You like Jericho. I didn't know you had a thing for the filly guys with springy curls but hey, to each his own-"

Raven's fist launched into his jaw, sending Beast Boy sprawling on his back. "You ruined it."

"Ruined what?" Beast Boy groaned as he lay on his back.

Raven rose to a standing position and flicked up her hood. "The moment we were having."

Suddenly, a blast of fire shot down from the sky. Raven yanked Beast Boy up and threw him over the cliff in just enough time as the second volley of fire rained down. Raven slid the crook of her arm over her nose and mouth to block out the smoke as she leapt out-of-the-way of the towering fire.

_Please don't fail me now, _she begged her powers.

Scorching flames ate away at the grassy area as Raven vaulted off of the jagged cliff. Thankfully, her powers held her upright in the air and the familiar black cloud billowed around her hands.

However, the fire had stopped. Raven lifted her head and gawked at the message etched into the land.

* * *

**Yes, that is Beast Boy's real name and real back story xD**

**If some of you already know this, I apologize. It's just, I didn't know/remember half of this stuff ^^; So I thought I'd give us a little refresher without going all out into filler mode. Hopefully, this wasn't filler mode o_o Did you guys enjoy the little Beast Boy and Raven moment? XD** _-Anii_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Could ANYONE with musical skill please contact me?**_

_**I require musical skills for a future chapter but I have none xD**_

_**I'll explain the details to anyone interested. You will get full credit! Thank you!**_

**Cliffhangers are a weapon for authors xD**

**Although they are double-sided weapons lol**

**Anywho, I wanted to write about Atlantis!**

**For the longest time, I thought that the cave Aqualad was in**

**was Atlantis hahaha I was so disappointed that**

**"Atlantis" was just a crummy old cave xD**

_-Anii_

* * *

**Chapter 8: "I must be dreamin'."**

_**― Must be Dreaming by Frou Frou**_

Flames licked at the sky, their orange, red flames curving and stopping so that from above, letters spelled out a message in the ground:

_I'm coming to get you._

A fancy "M" blazed beneath the message as a signature. Raven's breath hitched and her head gaze swept the darkening skies for any sign of a dragon slithering through the clouds. Malchior had vanished.

"Raven!?" Beast Boy called from the churning black waters below.

His hair was plastered to his face and his pupils were the size of a pinpoint. His body bounced gently in the rocking waves. Raven lowered her hovering body until her feet were mere inches from the water, "I'm alright."

Beast Boy wasn't convinced but he didn't press further. "We better get back."

Raven's gaze roamed over the rather quiet ocean when a laugh rang out. She swept her vision across the water's surface to find the source of the deep, feminine laugh. Her eyes lingered on a dot in the water and narrowed. Moonlight illuminated the woman in the water.

She had dull blonde hair that hung into the water. Only her bare shoulders, neck, and head were visible above the water and before Raven could blink, she was gone.

"Raven? You sure you're okay?" Raven jumped at the sound of Beast Boy's voice and she snapped her head down to look at him.

She cringed, "Do I have to get in your mouth again?"

In response, Beast Boy's body morphed into the shape of an enormous green whale and he jumped up, his mouth snapping shut around Raven, effectively sealing her inside of his mouth.

Beast Boy hummed as a whale, the loud whistle bouncing around Raven's skull. Her mind was a roaring tempest as she hovered in Beast Boy's mouth, trying not to touch the slimy walls of the whale's mouth.

Has she imagined the woman in the waves? Even so, Malchior's message was too real to be mere imagination. He was after her. She couldn't figure out why. The book was lost to her. He was free. What did he need from her? Raven placed her hand to her chest and took a deep inhale.

She gagged the putrid air back out as the rank smell of Beast Boy's mouth burned the back of her throat. "God, Beast Boy. Seriously, use breath mints!"

She could hear nothing except for Beast Boy's whale calls and it seemed like eternity had passed before they arrived at the cave.

When light finally cracked into Beast Boy's mouth, Raven wholeheartedly launched herself up and out. Her feet had just landed on the cave's bumpy surface when her Communicator vibrated against her hip, the familiar tune ringing out.

Raven flipped open the lid as a sopping wet Beast Boy clambered over the lip of the cave. "Yeah?"

Robin's voice reached through the Communicator but she couldn't see his face, only clear water. "There's trouble in Atlantis and we can't hold them off much longer."

Raven's eyebrow rose, "Atlantis? I thought this was Atlantis?"

Aqualad's face appeared in the screen, "Pardon? You thought a bleak old cave was Atlantis?"

Raven squirmed under Aqualad's furious stare. "Sorry."

"It doesn't matter. We need your help now." Aqualad grumbled.

Raven shrugged helplessly, "I can't breathe underwater though and the others have the T-Ship."

Despite the sound of an explosion and falling debris behind him, Aqualad grinned into the Comunicator's screen, "Wrong. Cyborg has the T-Ship. Tramm will help you out. Follow him."

The Communicator screen went black and as Raven tucked it back on her hip, Tramm wobbled up before her and Beast Boy. He greeted Beast Boy with a fist bump before waving wildly, telling them to follow. Raven shrugged her shoulders and followed Tramm down several identical cavernous hallways, Beast Boy close behind, before reaching an enormous room with a domed ceiling.

Only a thin walkway circled around the gigantic hole in the ground where salt water lapped at the edges. The water seemed illuminated from below and the light almost seemed to add a golden sheen to the water.

Raven turned to Tramm, who held up a pair of goggles. She took them and placed them on her head and over her eyes while Tramm dug around in his pocket for something. Finally, he pulled free a circular device and pushed it into Raven's hands.

Raven twisted the device around, studying it carefully. _I have no idea what I'm supposed to do with this._ The device was mostly black, the only color being a golden blocky 'T' on the front. There seemed to be a mechanism protruding from the back. "What is this?"

He squeaked out an incoherent sentence then motioned for Raven to place the device to her lips, instructing her to put the mechanism in her mouth. She did as instructed, almost gagging as the protruding mechanism reached far back into her throat.

Tramm spun behind Raven, pulling the device tighter against her lips with thick, tight black cords that went around her head to hold the device in place. He stuck two rubbery cords up Raven's nose without warning (much to her protest). Tram gestured toward the water and Raven gave him a fleeting look of animosity.

Beast Boy placed the palm of his hand firmly against her back, "Let's go."

Before she could blink, Beast Boy was pulling Raven under, down into the golden waters. She gasped, her hand flying to her throat. However, water didn't enter her lungs even after a few weary test breaths. Raven's eyes widened and she glanced at Beast Boy who had transformed into a sword fish. Seeming to read his thoughts, Raven grasped Beast Boy's tall dorsal fin and he sped off.

Icy currents from the dark area below made Raven shudder and Beast Boy's tail beat wildly to carry them both to warmer waters.

Oxygen pumped through Raven's body and as she exhaled, bubbles streamed out of the circular device over her lips. Her tongue kept searching the mechanism in her mouth that made her eyes water with discomfort. All it left her with was an unsavory metallic taste on her tongue.

Raven's eyes took in the sights around her as Beast Boy zoomed through the ocean. The water everywhere had the same golden tint to it as she had seen in the cave. Her head twisted to take in as much as she could; it was so beautiful underwater. They passed several ancient marble buildings that sat on hill-like formations.

Fish darted in out of the decaying buildings and twirled around green statues depicting ancient heroes. Beast Boy's emotions mirrored her own. Awe and wonder struck deep in their hearts as they traveled further towards Atlantis. Booming explosions shook the water around them and rattled Raven's teeth in her mouth. Her eyes widened and she gasped as she gazed at the ancient city before her.

Atlantis had always been a mystery to nearly everyone in the human world. It was deemed unlikely that a race of mer-people existed but even skeptics couldn't deny the possibility of a sunken city.

As if born from the land, Atlantean structures rose up from the rocks they stood on. Several spiraled towers stood erect with lights adorning their peeks. As if plucked from the Roman Empire, the buildings stood solidly and beautifully in their regal and ancient elegance. Light seemed to emanate from within the city and was the source for the discoloration of the water. Coral reefs formed around the enormous city as if a protecting the city it surrounded.

However, this was no time for sight-seeing. Red explosions dotted around Atlantis sporadically and some of the structures toppled down like a Jenga tower.

Beast Boy's shot up the almost perfectly intact marble stairs leading up to the middle of the city where the explosions seemed to be coming from. Two guardian animals stood on either side of the stairs, looking vicious as they dared enemies to enter their beloved home.

An octopus clung to the base of one of these guardians and Raven cringed. She released Beast Boy's fin, treading water as her head swung around, her eyes searching for the cause of distress. The octopus darted away, startling Raven. She looked up, gasped, and kicked her legs as a structure gracefully sliced through the water and landed with a cloud of dust, just barely crushing Raven beneath it.

Beast Boy circled around her, nudging her forward with his shining body just as Robin swam into view, a device identical to Raven's in his mouth. A rather mechanical Robin voice broke through the booms of nearby explosions. "Are you and Beast Boy alright?"

Raven nodded, her hair and cape floating out beside her. Robin pointed to a darting figure in the water just ahead of them, "She's attacking the city. Starfire and Cyborg managed to evacuate the citizens but she's beating the crap out of Aqualad and I."

Raven's throat clicked as she swallowed painfully around the breathing mechanism in her mouth. She swam off, Robin and Beast Boy trailing behind. The attacker came into view and Raven gasped for the millionth time. It was the woman from earlier- the woman in the water.

Her long blonde hair billowed out from her body as clear blue eyes blazed with hatred. Her light green skin was only marred by blue tattoos that snaked around her thin arms and blue slashes that streaked across her torso. Her breasts were covered by shimmering dark green scales; green fins jutted out from her forearms.

Of course, the most startling part of the woman was the fact that her torso melded with a dark green fish's tail that swished from side to side, delicate blue-green fins beating against the water. Her grin deepened, causing lines to form in her cheeks as her eyes found Raven. A cool, throaty voice echoed in Raven's head. _We meet again. _

Robin glanced at Raven, "I'm at a disadvantage here underwater. My moves are slowed down."

"Then stay back. I'll give it a shot." Raven's hands produced their usual black glow and she broke apart several pieces of coral to wrap them around the woman.

However, before she got very far, the woman opened her mouth and inhaled sharply. A goddess' voice floated out from the woman's throat and swirled around Raven's head. No distinguishable words fell on Raven's ears but the melody of the song seeped into the very depths of her soul.

Raven's hands stopped glowing and the coral pieces drifted to the ground peacefully. Before the song could finish, Beast Boy rammed into the woman as a hammerhead shark, Aqualad appearing behind him. "Siren, stop this instant!"

"Or what?" The woman- Siren -replied cooly as Beast Boy circled her menacingly.

Aqualad's face became grim. "You _know_ what will happen."

Siren tossed back her head, a throaty and exhilarating laugh trickling from her throat, "You'll _kill_ me? Good luck, boy."

Aqualad's face scrunched with anger and several sharks came to his aid, circling her in Beast Boy's place as the green shark whizzed over to Raven's side, Robin right behind him.

"Are you alright?" Robin asked.

Raven opened her mouth to say that she was fine but a scream erupted from her throat instead. Her hands flapped wildly as she shrieked, "Water!"

Beast Boy stared at her and Robin's eyebrow rose up as they repeated the word in unison, "Water?"

Aqualad's eyes widened and he raced to Raven's side. He grabbed her wrist and swam with incredible speed upward, all the while tugging a screaming Raven.

"Beast Boy!" Aqualad shouted. "Turn into a whale and let Raven on your back. Make sure your back is sticking out of the water."

Beast Boy looked skeptical but he did so. He turned into a sperm whale and Aqualad violently shook his head as the ocean's surface came into sight. "No damn it! A big whale. Humpback!"

Beast Boy's green body morphed once more and he pushed his back up enough so that it just broke through the surface of the ocean. He hovered there while Aqualad launched himself out of the water and landed with ease on Beast Boy's back, cradling a trembling Raven in his arms.

Beast Boy made several long, drawn out whale hums and Aqualad shook his head, "She isn't hurt. Not physically."

More whale hums.

Aqualad glanced down at Raven, sympathy in his eyes. He gently put her on the ground and pushed Raven's wet hair away from her face as she whimpered pathetically. Aqualad pulled the breathing device from her mouth and Raven gagged, sucking in deep mouthfuls of cool, fresh air. Tears streamed from her eyes, mixing with the sea water dripping from her face. She repeatedly mumbled the word 'water' over and over again as her shoulders shook violently.

"One of Siren's powers is to inflict hydrophobia on her victims." Aqualad explained.

Beast Boy hummed once more.

"Hydrophobia is a fear of the water." Aqualad's head snapped up, "Oh no. Siren broke free. She attacked Robin."

Aqualad jumped off of Beast Boy's back and dove into the water, disappearing completely. Raven got on hands and knees, her fingers splayed open wide against Beast Boy's rough, bumpy green whale skin. She shook her head wildly and swiped at her body, "Get it off of me! Get the water off of me!"

Beast Boy hummed and his concern rang through Raven as clear as a bell. He was trying to comfort her but she didn't speak whale. Moments later, Aqualad burst through the surface of the ocean, carrying Robin, who looked scared out of his mind. "She got him, too."

As Aqualad placed Robin on his feet, Robin trying to rid himself of the water droplets clinging to his skin, clothes, and hair much like Raven just had. He was rambling about water and Aqualad sighed, slicking back his wet jet black hair. "Let's get them out of here."

Long slow echoes sounded as Beast Boy spoke to Aqualad.

"Siren's gone. It's safe for the Atlanteans to return, for now. I asked a few of my friends to lead Starfire and Cyborg to a nearby island once their ready. Just keep going, I'll tell you where to go."

Aqualad touched Robin's shoulder, who flung himself away from the Atlantean. "Y-you're wet! Don't touch me!"

Raven's irrational fear shook her to the very core but she was still capable of functioning. She glanced up at Aqualad, "How do we get rid of this phobia?"

Aqualad looked miserable, "I don't know."

* * *

**Siren _is_ a real character. And her attack _is_ real (instilling hydrophobia in people). But I do need to explain it a little. It only finds the fear inside of people and inflates it. Against someone like Aqualad, who has absolutely zero fear of the water, her attack would be useless. Hope that made sense! Leave a review! :D** _-Anii_


	9. Chapter 9

**Greg Cipes is my favorite Beast Boy x3 lol**

**He's the one who plays Beast Boy on Teen Titans.**

**There are other guys who play BB on other shows but it isn't the same.**

**Greg Cipes forever! Hahaha**

_-Anii_

* * *

**Chapter 9: "You'll feel it when I stamp it on your forehead so you will never forget that you're a reject."**

**_― Fear by Disturbed_**

Raven, now completely dry, flew onto the sandy beach and threw herself at the rocky cliff wall on the tiny island. Hugging the Earth, she glared at the water and silently cursed it. Robin, carried in Aqualad's arms princess-style, grumbled low. "I still have my dignity you know."

"Then should I drop you?" Aqualad teased.

Robin glanced down at the shallow water under Aqualad's feet and shook his head violently. Green turtle flippers carried a transformed Beast Boy to the shore and he waddled over to Raven. He changed back and moved to touch her.

Raven flung herself away. As a look of hurt crossed his face, Raven went on to explain, "Your hands are wet."

Beast Boy groaned loudly and flopped down on the soft white sand of the beach, baking himself in the sun. "How long is this going to last?"

Aqualad shrugged as he set Robin down on the beach, "I honestly don't know. All I know is these two aren't going in the water anytime soon."

Robin shuddered, "There's so much water and it's _everywhere_."

Aqualad lifted one eyebrow, "Well, yeah. This _is_ an island."

"Should we send them to a shrink? Beast Boy asked, shaking water droplets from his hair.

Raven dodged them masterfully and plastered herself to the rock wall once more. Beast Boy grinned sheepishly. "Sorry."

Raven held up a hand. "Don't worry about it." She glanced at Aqualad. "You better go check on everyone."

Aqualad nodded in agreement. "Maybe Aquaman will know something about..._this_." He motioned to a trembling Robin. "Beast Boy, you stay here and watch them."

"Where's Starfire?" Robin piped up. "And Cyborg?"

"Starfire was hurt when she tried to stop Siren from fleeing. The T-ship was damaged as well so Tramm and Cyborg are working on it in the caves." Aqualad was already wadding through the water.

"Wait!" Robin shouted, running and halting abruptly as the tide rolled up to soak his feet. "Was she seriously hurt?"

Aqualad's muscled back faced the group as he shook his head, "No. She's being treated in Atlantis now. She'll be fine."

Robin did a back hand spring to avoid the clear water sweeping up the beach. His back slammed into the rock wall and he pushed his body against it as tightly as possible, his chest rising and falling frantically.

Raven groaned, "This is ridiculous."

Robin ran his hand through his black hair. "How am I supposed to rally the Titans in an underwater cave when I'm terrified of water?"

Beast Boy propped himself up on his elbow and drew letters in the sand with his fingers. "Cyborg can do it."

Robin sighed heavily. "I know. But I don't like being useless like this."

Raven's jaw clenched tightly and she exhaled harshly through her nose. "If there's one thing I learned from my father," her feet carried over to the edge of the water just as a white foamy wave receded, "it's that facing my fear is the only way I'll get over this."

Siren's throaty laugh boomed through Raven's mind as the waves rolled over themselves to swish up the beach. Panic knotted Raven's stomach as she watched the waves inch closer. _Breathe, just breathe. You're afraid but that doesn't mean the fear has to control you._

Arms snaked around her waist and lifted her feet of off the ground just as the water swayed up and back down once more.

Beast Boy spun around with Raven in his arms and placed her away from the water. He put his hands on both of her shoulders. "Hey, there's no need to rush it. We'll start you out slowly okay?"

The panic swelling in her chest subsided as she stared into Beast Boy's green eyes. She nodded her head firmly, "Alright. Fine."

The red sun dyed the ocean and sand; even in her phobic state, Raven marveled at the beauty all around her. Robin hung his head low. "We might as well get comfortable while we wait."

Raven sunk down on to the warm sand, "This sand's going to get really cold once the sun goes down."

"Got it covered!" Beast Boy cried with a grin.

His body shifted into a large fluffy polar bear and he plopped down beside Raven, looking up at her expectantly. Raven felt heat rise in her cheeks but she crawled over to Beast Boy's side and sunk down into the polar bear's thick coat. She lightly gripped fistfuls of the course fur and nuzzled her face against it as her mind already began to drift away towards sleep.

Robin stood, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes glued to the calm ocean before him, his cape billowing gently around him. Beast Boy curled his body in a semicircle, closing Raven in slightly to block the chilly breeze floating by.

The last thing she remembered was the sound of Beast Boy's stomach rumbling hungrily before she slipped into dreams.

••••••••

A rough shake woke Raven and sunlight beamed into her eyes. She blinked several times and pushed away the fog in her brain. "What happened?"

Robin straightened and put his hands on his hips, a smile on his face. "The T-ship is fixed."

Cyborg's loud voice boomed happily, "Took all night but Tramm and I patched her up beautifully!"

"Oh, Raven I am so happy to see that you are well! I heard you had acquired a fear for liquid from that vile snork Siren!" A blur rushed passed Raven's vision before the Tamaranean swept Raven into her arms. _(Anii Note: I made up a word for 'mermaid' in Starfire's language xD Don't judge.)_

Raven lightly patted Starfire's back as the alien suffocated her. "I'm glad to see that you're okay, Starfire."

Starfire pulled away, smiling happily as she sat on her knees before Raven. The sounds of the ocean made Raven groan as her stomach tightened automatically with dread. She glanced over to see the same unease on Robin's masked face.

Raven's gaze shifted to the roiling waves near her. Beast Boy's big green polar bear head moved in her line of vision and his tongue scraped against the side of her face. Raven shuddered and wiped his spit from skin as he shifted back into a human.

Raven rose to her feet, gazing at the ocean front. She didn't notice when a particularly large wave rolled up the beach until it nearly touched the tips of her boots. Raven shrieked, stumbling backward. Robin stepped forward to steady her but ended up flinging himself back as the edge of the water almost touched him as well.

Cyborg laughed nervously, "Aqualad is still talking to Aquaman about how to fix that. One thing at a time I guess."

"We don't have time for this." Robin hissed, his hands clenched into tight fists at his side as a pink blush invaded his cheeks. "We should be out _there_," he thrust his hand out towards the water, "fighting or something."

Cyborg put his hands on his metal hips with a soft _clang. _"What do you expect us to do?"

Robin sighed, frustrated. Cyborg put a hand on his shoulder. "Why don't we all discuss the attacks on the other Titans? We could see if anything seems similar and then we could possibly ask-"

"Who? Who could we ask? There's no one on our side, Cyborg!" Robin swatted away the metal man's hand and stormed down the beach, turning down a path deep into the heart of the island and vanishing from sight.

The Titans sat quietly in awkward silence before Cyborg whispered, "He's taking this really hard."

"Robin is not used to being rejected by the people he wishes to protect." Starfire added mournfully, her head drooping low. Her hair swept over her shoulder and she closed her eyes, sighing deeply.

"Are any of us?" Raven asked gloomily, pushing herself on to her feet and brushing sand from her body. "I'll try and talk to him."

As Raven passed him, she placed a hand on Cyborg's shoulder. "The T-ship looks great."

A fleeting smile crossed Cyborg's lips and he spun around, "Alright, we'll discuss the attacks and narrow it down for when they get back. Beast Boy, quit playing in the sand!"

Raven followed Robin's footprints in the white sand and turned left, slipping through the narrow crack in the rock cliffs on the island. She brushed aside thick tropical leaves until she found Robin sitting on a fallen log, his head bent low. She flopped down beside him, tilting her head so she could look at his face.

"I shouldn't have snapped at Cyborg." Robin whispered miserably.

"You're right. He was just trying to help."

Robin chuckled softly, "Thanks."

"You know you were, I was only agreeing with you. I'm here to listen and offer advice if you want it." Raven nudged his shoulder. "You have to lighten up."

"That's strange coming from you." Robin shoved her back gently with his shoulder.

Raven tilted her head upward, the warm sun beaming down on her face. "It is. But I know it's right. Everyone's trying so hard not to shatter. Even me."

Robin's head fell into his hands. "What am I supposed to do? I was useless underwater and I can't even be the backbone of this team anymore. I'm a failure as a leader."

Raven's lips quirked as she thought hard about how to respond. Finally, she opened her mouth to say, "You're taking on too much."

Robin lifted his eyebrow. "Am I?"

Raven nodded firmly. "Way too much. You're taking on our responsibilities and not letting us do anything but be your back up. We're capable, Robin. Haven't we proved that with all the years we've put into this?"

Robin sighed, his head still clutched between his hands. "You have. I'm sorry. I'm so afraid though. I'm terrified that if I make a mistake, it will cost you guys your lives. I mean just look at how close Malchior gets to you! And this Siren woman," Robin thrust his hand our for emphasis, "she made us both quivering babies when it comes to water!"

Raven brushed sand off of her boot. "I know. We understand. Which is why we haven't knock you on your ass yet."

A ghost of a smile crossed Robin's lips but the mood quickly sobered and the two lapsed into momentary silence. Raven exhaled harshly, pulling her legs up on the log and sitting cross-legged. "We're still heroes."

Robin's head lifted the slightest and he looked at her. "What?"

"If a mother keeps her child from playing in the ocean, even though the child kicks and screams and says he hates her, she's not a villain." Raven spoke as she absently studied a large pink flower above her. "Something isn't right and the citizens behavior only makes it seem more odd. We're doing the right thing. We aren't fighting to be put on a pedestal; we're fighting to protect them with our lives."

Robin sighed heavily. "But that's just it. How do I know I'm really fighting for them? How do I know I'm doing the right thing for them and not for myself?"

"You won't really." Raven shrugged. "But look at us, we've been scorned and shunned and we still leap into action when someone's in trouble." Robin seemed unconvinced so Raven tried a different tactic. "When you're fighting, are you thinking about how cool you look?"

"Sometimes." Robin admitted with a slight blush.

Raven laughed softly, "Okay, let me put it this way: when you fight, do you think 'what can I get from this for myself or the Team'?"

Robin shook his head. "I don't."

Raven's voice softened. "Then you aren't being selfish, Robin. You really are worried about them. If we find out they really don't want us around, we can just find our own little island like this and we can live together like we always do."

"Since when are you the Optimist?" Robin flashed a smile.

Raven suppressed a grin. "Since someone needed me to be."

••••••••

Raven walked beside Robin as they walked back to the group. Starfire caught sight of her boyfriend and rushed to envelop him in her arms. "Are you-?"

Robin hugged Starfire back and chuckled into her hair. "I'm fine, Star."

Heavy crunches alerted Robin to Cyborg's approach. Robin pushed Starfire away gently and rubbed the back of his head, addressing Cyborg. "I'm really sorry about that little blow up."

Cyborg only smiled and nodded his head.

A menacing wave splashed against the sandy beach and a drop of salty water landed on Raven's cheek. She dashed it away immediately, choking down a shriek. She pressed a hand to her rapidly beating heart and ignored her hot cheeks as she trotted over to and sat beside Beast Boy. The changeling was unusually quiet but a smile tugged at the corner of his lips as Raven sat beside him. "Is everything okay?"

Raven nodded. "I hope so. Did you guys find anything?"

"We might have." Cyborg stepped in, looking stern and heroic.

"The other Titans spoke of a dragon creature attacking them." Starfire said helpfully as she sat beside Raven and snuggled up to Robin.

"Malchior." Raven murmured.

Cyborg's head bobbed. "That's a possibility. There were also sightings of plants just like we saw at the Tower."

"Malchior said he was working with a woman." Robin's brows furrowed in thought. "The attacks on us could have simply been revenge but the attacks on the others mean Malchior and his Mistress are after the Teen Titans."

Beast Boy bumped Raven and moved his eyes back and forth from her to Cyborg. Catching his hint, Raven inhaled deeply and released the breath slowly. "I don't know if it's related, but my powers have been messing up."

Robin's eyes narrowed with concern. "Is that why you had that freak out yesterday?"

Raven nodded. "My powers and emotions are linked. It's only natural one would mess up if the other did."

Cyborg's eyes lit up. "Some of the other Titans mentioned that. The power failure, not the mental breakdown. No offense."

Raven held up her hands. "None taken."

Cyborg crossed his arms over his broad chest. "That still doesn't tell us much or give us any leads."

"She might be able to." The Titans' heads all turned simultaneously at the sound of Aqualad's voice.

Sure enough, the drenched Atlantean was striding out of the beach beside a buff man. Between them was a woman in an army coat with buttons all over it with sayings like 'Stop BP' and 'Save the Oceans'. Her shapely legs were bound together tightly with a silvery rope. Her long blonde hair covered her face.

"Who's that? Beast Boy asked, jabbing a finger in the direction of the woman.

"Don't you recognize her?" Asked the man beside Aqualad.

He grabbed a fistful of the woman's hair and yanked back her head, revealing her light green face. Her eyes darted back and forth and her nostrils flared like a cornered animal. Her teeth were clenched and she hissed through them.

"It's Siren." Robin pointed out.

"I didn't recognize her without the- uh - you know, the tail." Cyborg stammered.

Raven blinked, "How'd you capture her?"

"It was Aquaman." Aqualad said, his smiling face beaming up at the older man.

"_That's_ Aquaman?" Beast Boy blurted.

"Hello, Titans." Aquaman greeted cheerfully.

Raven gave a short wave, her mind in shock. "Hi."

It was rare for the Titans to see the Justice league members. This was like a newbie band meeting the Beatles.

The Atlantean king had a chiseled face and deep blue eyes. His broad chest and thick biceps were covered in shimmering orange scales while green fin-like gloves covered his hands and forearms. Seaweed green pants covered his muscular legs and wrapped around his feet. A golden belt hugged his hips, a capital letter 'A' in the middle.

Aquaman's face pinched in furry as he glared at Siren. "Speak."

A forced laugh fell from Siren's lips and she spit in Aquaman's face. "Never."

Aquald forced Siren on her knees, her hands pinned behind her back. "Talk or I'll rip every scale from your body."

"Go ahead, _boy_." Siren spat.

"Can't you just read her mind?" Cyborg suggested.

"There's only one part of her that's an aquatic animal and it isn't her mind." Aqualad crossed his arms over his chest.

Raven could sense the trembling fear in Siren's body and she bolted up and strode over to the woman. She slammed her hand down on the woman's shoulder, her fingers squeezing her flesh tightly. "I don't take kindly to you messing with my fears."

"Then maybe you shouldn't have polluted my ocean with your filth." Siren snapped.

"Siren thinks she's some kind of Eco-friendly mermaid." Aquaman informed. "She's really just a nuisance."

"Shut up, you old man." Siren growled.

Aquaman's gaze lifted to the Titans. "We'll work on her and on how to cure that phobia of yours."

Robin nodded, stepping forward and pushing Raven back gently. "Thanks. We'll take all the help we can get."

The oceanic ruler merely nodded, his wet blonde hair swaying in the wind.

"Robin, would you mind if I borrowed Starfire and Cyborg?" Aqualad asked.

Robin's eyebrow rose. "For how long?"

Aquaman lifted a hand to silence them both. "I should probably see to her. We wouldn't want her to hear any of our plans and run off to tell her cohorts now would we?" Aquaman gave Siren a rough shove.

She crashed into the low tide on her stomach, water splashing up around her. The Titans watched as her human legs bubbled under the rope, shifting from dark green and scaly to smooth and light green. Her small feet thinned and expanded into flimsy fins before retracting back into their humanistic shape.

Beast Boy's eyebrow lifted in curiosity. "Uh, what's she doing?"

"When she gets in the water, her mermaid form takes over." Aquaman smirked. "That thread there was a gift from The Lady. It binds Siren's legs to human form."

Aquaman hefted Siren up by her thick jacket and dragged her underwater, out of sight. Raven's ears pricked up as Aqualad and Robin continued their conversation.

"I would need them to help me sort through all of the Titans we're housing in our base." Aqualad explained.

Robin shrugged his shoulders. "It's up to them really." He turned to the two Titans in question. "Would you want to go?"

Cyborg gave a silent but firm nod while Starfire's gaze flitted away from Robin's. Robin smiled and spoke softly, "You can go, Star."

Starfire nodded and lifted her eyes to meet his. "I wish to help in any way I can."

Robin nodded, still giving Starfire an enchanting smile. He turned to Aqualad and shrugged once more. "There you have it."

Robin then spoke to Beast Boy and Raven, "I hope you don't mind, but I'd like to visit someone. Will you guys be alright with me gone?"

Raven nodded, biting back her scathing reply. _He didn't mean to sound like a pompous jerk_. Raven told herself. _It just came out that way._

Robin took in a deep breath then let it out slowly. "Alright then. Titans, split up."

* * *

**This needs so much editing. I spent all day editing Chapter 10 and getting it all ready and forgot that THIS chapter was the one I was supposed to post this week. Chapter 10 is next week. So, yeah. Grammar and spelling are terrible. I only had ten minutes to look the whole chapter over DX FORGIVE ME!**

**Also, I explain who 'The Lady' is in a future chapter. As always, leave a review! Thanks for reading! -**_Anii_


	10. Chapter 10

**So as an apology for last week, I'm going to publish this chapter early :)**

**I was fangirl squealing throughout this whole chapter.**

**Mainly because I love Beast Boy xD**

**Just a random question:**

**Has anyone else seen/read Skip Beat?**

**The song for this chapter is from the show so**

**I got curious if I'm the only weird fangirl out there**

**who loves this song haha.**

_-Anii_

* * *

**Chapter 10: "I've become lost without realizing it."**

_**― Prisoner by Mamoru Miyano**_

Raven strode up to the counter of the cheap motel. "Can I have a room for two nights?"

The fat man behind the counter lazily lifted his gaze to her. Raven dropped her chin until it touched her chest, receding into the shadows her hood provided. She felt his creepy gaze linger on her chest and Raven shuddered. The man pulled the cigar from between his lips and scratched his pot belly before leaning back to pull a key from its hook. "Room 32." He snorted back mucus and leaned to the side to get a better look at Beast Boy, who stood behind Raven. "That your boyfriend?"

Raven reached her hand out for the key, choosing not to answer. "How much?"

"Depends on if he's your boyfriend or not." The fat man's eyebrow rose suggestively.

Raven's nose crinkled with disgust. "Give me a damn price."

"Fifty." The man stuck the cigar between his lips and accepted Raven's money as she handed it to him. "You ever get tired of him, sweetie, I'll be right here."

As Raven stormed out of the tiny office and down the row of doors to room 32, Beast Boy mumbled, "Do creepy guys like that always hit on you?"

Raven shot him a glare and he laughed softly. Raven stopped in front of a red door with gold numbers attached to it. She pushed the key into the lock and let out a sigh as she heard a soft click. She braced herself for a foul smell, dingy wallpaper, messy bedding, and roaches galore. She pushed open the door and was visibly stunned.

Pale green wallpaper clung to the wall neatly; the floors were carpeted and clean; the queen-sized beds were tidy with stark white pillows resting at the head of the bed. Raven stepped further inside to examine the shockingly clean motel room. "Are we on Punk'd?"

The bathroom was sparkling and the scent of a new air freshener made the whole motel room smell like warm vanilla sugar. Beast Boy whistled, clearly impressed, as he dropped his duffel bag to the floor.

Raven shrugged and tossed back her hood. She set her duffel bag on the end of the bed and unzipped it. As she rummaged through her overnight bag, she heard a low gurgling rumble. She glanced at Beast Boy, who grinned sheepishly as he put a hand to his stomach, "Sorry."

Raven's eyes widened, "I completely forgot. You haven't eaten since the hotel in Jump have you?"

Beast Boy shrugged nonchalantly. "It's fine. Not many places are vegetarian-friendly. I can wait until we find some place else in-."

Raven grabbed his wrist and pulled him outside, making sure to lock the door behind them.

"Where are we going, Raven?" Beast Boy asked as he stumbled along behind her.

"To get you some food." Raven replied as she stepped into the tiny office of the motel. She plucked a restaurant map from one of the slots offering the city's tourist sites. She flipped through the pamphlet until something caught her eye. "This place looks good. It's all vegetarian food."

Beast Boy swiped the pamphlet from her and a smile broke out on his painted white face. "I'll give it a shot."

••••••••

The vegetarian restaurant wasn't all that difficult to find, however, at seven o'clock at night, it was rather packed. Raven lifted an eyebrow under the dark shadow of her hood. "I've never seen so many hippies in one place."

Beast Boy laughed beside her, "I fit right in!"

A server bopped over and smiled cheerfully, her blonde pony tail swaying from side to side. "Hi, how many?"

"Just two." Raven replied.

"This way, please." The girl said as she turned her back to the Titans.

Beast Boy and Raven followed her, dodging servers with platefuls of fresh food and drinks. The server placed two menus down on a square, dark wood table and she flashed her cheery smile, "Can I get you anything to drink?"

"Dr. Pepper." Beast Boy answered just as cheerfully.

"Ginger Ale." Raven said, her fingers already opening the menu before her.

"I'll get those for you right away." The girl bounced into the kitchen and Beast Boy bent forward, concern lighting up in his face.

_Why is he always so concerned nowadays? _Raven mentally slapped herself. _Why do you think? We're kind of at "war" here. God, just be happy he cares._

"Are you feeling alright?" Beast Boy asked. "You don't normally support my vegetarianism."

"Vegetarianism. Whoa, breaking out the big words, are we?" Raven quipped as she read over her menu and repressed a laugh.

Beast Boy grinned and picked up his own menu. "That's more like the Raven I know and lo-" he cleared his throat, effectively cutting off the rest of his sentence.

The heavy makeup hid his blush but Raven could sense the embarrassment rising in him as her own pulse quickened. Before she could question him, however, the sever was back with their drinks and a notepad, ready to take their order.

"S-sorry, could we have another minute?" Raven stammered.

The girl smiled. "Of course."

As she spun around and left, Raven shifted nervously, feeling heat rise in her cheeks as her leg bumped against Beast Boy's. She murmured her apology and mentally berated herself. _Why are you getting so flustered? It's __**Beast Boy**__._

"Raven?"

Raven snapped out of her thoughts to find Beast Boy staring at her, that damn concern spread all across his face. In the dim lighting of the restaurant, his eyes gleamed. Raven's heart skipped a beat and she nearly threw herself out of her chair. _What is going on with me?!_

"Now I know something's wrong." He insisted. "You're out of it."

Raven shook her head. "I'm fine. I think I'm going to get the three cheese enchilada."

"You're changing the subject." Beast Boy's lips pursed into a thin line.

Raven's eyes widened as she broke her gaze from his lips. "I'm not. Hurry up and pick out your meal before she gets back."

No sooner had the words left Raven's mouth, the server was back, her pen and pad ready. "Are we ready to order?"

Beast Boy nodded, his gaze lingering on Raven as he spoke. "I'll have the All-Star veggie burger."

The girl paused in her scribbling to ask, "Would you like fries with that?"

"Yes, please." The changeling leaned back in his chair.

The server nodded and turned to Raven, "And for you?"

"The three cheese enchilada, please." Raven answered, trying hard to focus on her hands in her lap.

The girl took their menus and left them alone in silence. Raven questioned if the heart racing and odd thoughts about her fellow Titan could be her emotions out of control again. She bit her lip as she pushed the thought aside. She was in complete control. Maybe her body was acting strangely but her limbs and mind were working just fine.

No creepy voice tried to tell her to join the lusty side or anything like that. Her emotions were perfectly fine inside of her although, she wished that her sudden "bipolarness" had been the cause. She didn't know what to do with this odd and involuntary thought process.

Raven lifted her gaze shyly to catch a glimpse of Beast Boy, who was happily sucking down his soda. _Do I like Beast Boy? _The thought was a mere whisper in her mind but it seemed to take hold of her heart and squeeze.

Beast Boy's chair wobbled as he tipped it on its back legs. A powerful sneeze sent him over and he crashed into a passing waiter, who carried several bowls of fresh soup. One dull blue bowl toppled from the serving tray and landed on a nearby customer.

As the changeling lifted the porcelain bowl from the man's eyes, he grinned sheepishly at Raven. Raven's thoughts responded to her earlier question with a very loud and aggressive: _No!_

_It's not possible! I won't accept it. _Raven thought defiantly. _I'm just behaving strangely. It must be this lighting or something._

By the time the soup was cleaned up, their food was ready and served. Raven chomped down on her enchilada and forced her thoughts to go silent for the rest of the meal.

••••••••

The palm of her hand smacked against the foggy window as her stomach clenched. She felt it rising in her chest. The fiery rage burned her torso and slowly crawled its way up her body, flooding her senses.

She took several even breaths, patiently fighting the rage's ascension. _I need to meditate again. I just need to meditate. That's all. It's fine. Everything will be okay._

She could hear the muffled sounds of the TV from her shared room with Beast Boy as the changeling mindlessly flipped through the channels, sprawled out on the queen-sized bed. The garbled sounds were the only thing that felt real as she battled with her terrifying rage.

Her head lifted as she swiped her palm across the surface of the mirror. A deep chuckle rumbled in her chest and her shoulders shook as her lips pulled back to reveal stark white teeth. Her eyes burned red as she stared at her reflection.

Raven howled and flung herself away from the mirror. _I just need to meditate. _She told herself more forcefully.

"Raven?" A soft knock followed Beast Boy's voice. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Raven bit her lip as she heard the quiver in her own voice.

"Are you sure?" He asked, clearly not convinced.

Raven had the intense and unexplainable rage contained in her stomach for the moment so she reached out for her towel with trembling fingers. "Don't worry about-"

Her legs gave out and Raven crashed to the ground. The cold, tiled floor bit into her bare flesh and pain exploded in her skull as her teeth dug into her tongue. Raven pressed her forehead to the floor as the door flew open.

She gasped and flung herself into a sitting position, her arms covering what they could. Beast Boy's green face had an underlying pink tint to it as he barged in, one hand over his eyes and the other thrust out in front of him.

He swung his arm around, "R-raven? I heard you fall. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" She shrieked, her voice more shrill than she had intended it to be. "Get out!"

Beast Boy spun around on his heels and slammed the door closed behind him. Raven slid the plush towel around her waist, tying it at her chest. She leaned with her back to the door for several painful moments as she let herself calm down.

She glanced down and shuddered as she saw the water droplets trailing down her body. She bit down the fear tightening her throat and quickly dried off her skin. She slipped her nighttime clothes on before stepping out into the motel bedroom.

Beast Boy stopped pacing and stepped forward, clearly nervous. "I-I really didn't see anything. I swear."

Raven waved her hands dismissively. "Forget it." She plopped down on the bed. "Why don't we talk about the other Titans?"

Beast Boy's head lowered as his hand rubbed the back of his head. His expression dropped and all traces of embarrassment vanished. "A lot of them were forced out of their homes just like us. Some of them lost team members."

Raven's eyes widened as her mouth became dry. "Did they leave the Titans?" She didn't want to think about the other possible meaning. She didn't want to think that teenagers like her and her friends had been murdered for being superheroes.

Beast Boy gave her a look, dashing away her fleeting hope.

"How many?" She whispered as she tucked her legs under her body.

"Too many." Was his solemn reply.

Raven took a deep breath. "I don't know what we're going to do unless Siren talks."

"How do we know she's even connected to _The_ Bad Guy?" Beast Boy asked, sitting on the edge of the bed. "The one who screwed us over and made _us_ the bad guys."

Raven shrugged. "I can feel it." Her eyes narrowed in thought. "She's connected to Malchior and his Mystery Mistress and they're connected to the person responsible."

Beast Boy placed his hand on her knee, giving her the best smile he could muster. "We don't have to talk about this tonight."

"That's just it though. We do. We can't sleep. Every day it gets worse and-"

Beast Boy's hand clamped over Raven's mouth and he laughed softly. "You're starting to sound like Robin. We aren't going to clear our names tonight." Beast Boy's eyebrow lifted curiously. "By the way, how'd you take a shower? Aren't you afraid of water still?"

Raven gripped his wrist tightly and moved his hand away, suppressing a smile. "I didn't shower. I just meditated as I took a bath."

"Still doesn't explain anything."

"Have you ever actually tried to meditate once in your life?" He still looked confused. "I blocked all fear momentarily."

Beast Boy chuckled and turned his back to her. "I can't concentrate for that long."

He peeled off his shirt in the dark hotel room. The dim light from the TV cast rippling shadows across sculpted muscles, which shifted under green skin as Beast Boy flung the shirt at his duffel bag.

"I've noticed." Raven mumbled as she adverted her eyes, ignoring the sudden urge to fan herself.

Beast Boy stripped down into his boxers and morphed into a tiny kitten.

"Why did you take off your clothes if you were just going to turn into an animal?" Raven asked, disliking the nervous tremor in her voice.

Beast Boy gave her a look. Raven blamed the TV for the strange, taunting gleam in the kitten's eyes. He spun around in a slow circle before curling up on the floor beside the bed, his tail wrapping tightly around him. Raven tilted her head to the side. "Why are you sleeping down there?"

She unfurled her legs and scooped up the green kitten, placing him on one of the pillows. She slid under the covers and flicked off the TV, plunging the motel room into darkness. She rolled on to her side, her back to the purring animal on the other half of the bed. "Goodnight, Beast Boy."

A tiny 'meow' was his response. Raven's lips parted in a smile as her mind drifted off into dreams.

* * *

**Have I mentioned how much I love this pairing? There will be Robin and Starfire moments soon :) Very soon hehe **_-Anii_


	11. Chapter 11

**I am way ahead with this story, surprisingly xD**

**Woot! No procrastination for me! :D**

_-Anii_

* * *

**Chapter 11: "Tell me I'm forgiven say you'll always be mine. Say that everything is over tell me I'm fine."**

_**― The Thespian by Alesana**_

Raven thrust back the covers, frustrated beyond belief. Nightmares continued to torment her every time she closed her eyes and she was tired of waking up in a cold sweat. She glanced at Beast Boy, who was sprawled out on the his pillow.

Silently, she slipped off of the bed and slid her hoodie over her head. She shoved the room key into her single pocket and stepped out into the outdoor hallway, her shoes in her hands.

She hopped on one foot down the hallway as she tugged on her boots. She took in a deep breath of the night air as she stuffed her hands in her hoodie pocket, her fingers playing with the little silver key inside.

Her body slowly lifted off of the ground and she flew towards the city's nearest rooftop. Her hoodie disguised her well enough but rooftops were the safest mode of travel as things stood now. She dropped on a tall building's roof and trotted across its surface in a slow and even pace.

She climbed the edge and leapt to the next rooftop easily. The pathetic exercise soothed her the tiniest bit, pushing away the horrific flashbacks from her nightmares. Raven shuddered at the thought of those terrible dreams.

While she was sleeping, the sight had been enough to wake her up but once she was awake, she couldn't remember much beyond fuzzy images. She remembered seeing water and hearing her own screams. Then she remembered trembling hands covered in fresh blood but she couldn't for the life of her put the pieces together.

She puffed out a sigh and continued with her nighttime walk over the city's rooftops until she heard the shuffling of feet. She spun around, her hands forming into two tight fists in her pocket.

Her keen eyes noticed the shifting shadow behind a vent on the roof just beside the one she currently stood on. Raven sucked in a deep breath before calling out to the shadow. "I can see you."

The shadow rippled before vanishing altogether. Raven's eyes narrowed but she chalked up the disappearing shadow to her insomnia. She spun back around and her nose bumped into a solid wall of muscle. She craned her neck to find a well-built man glaring down at her.

She attempted to back away, putting her hands up slowly, but the man grabbed her. Before she could blink, he was swinging her in a circle. She dug her feet into the ground to try and stop herself but he was incredibly strong.

He spun her around like a rag doll until, finally, he just let go. Raven called forth her powers to help her fly as she went over the edge of the rooftop when something hard smashed into her back, knocking the wind out of her lungs.

Her body crashed to the ground, sandwiched between the object that had hit her on the way down and the cold, dirty alley floor. She lifted her head to see the man perched on her back. Before Raven could react, the man was gone. She blinked several times and rolled onto her back, searching the narrow alley for the shadow man as she took in deep breaths around the pain in her ribcage.

She found him when she climbed to her feet and looked into the dark section of the alley, away from the street lights by the alley's mouth. She gasped as she heard a loud hiss. Water sprayed into her face and a terrified scream clawed its way out of her throat as she threw her hands up to block the majority of the water.

She forced down her terror momentarily to use her powers to form a barrier of dark energy. Water bounced off of the wall she had created and Raven shuddered as the water-soaked into her clothes. She flew straight upward and placed herself on another rooftop, taking off at a run as soon as her feet touched the ground.

She tugged on the door handle of the apartment complex that lead to the floors below her feet. Unfortunately, it was locked. "Shit." She hissed through clenched teeth.

Raven dashed over to the edge of the rooftop and launched herself from the protective railing. She heard the man behind her, his heavy boots clomping on the rooftops as he chased after her. Her eyes scanned the quiet area for a safe hiding spot. She let out a small breath of relief as she caught sight of a half-formed building just ahead and to the right. She flew to the construction site, abandoned for the night, and landed smoothly on a beam open to the night air.

Her breaths were ragged pants as the adrenaline increased her heart rate. Her hands grabbed fistfuls of her hoodie, ready to claw the wet garment off, but she froze_. I can't rip this off. It's my disguise. Just relax, Raven. Re_―

Her thoughts were interrupted by the crunch of footfalls below. She glanced down to find the shadow man climbing the beams at an alarming rate. Raven leapt from beam to beam until she reached the more finished portion of the building.

She slid through a doorway silently. Walls and ceilings locked her in, save for the one wall which gave a floor to ceiling view of the city through smudge-free glass.

She bit her lip, slinking off into the shadows of the room as she heard the metallic clip of footsteps on the beams outside. She held her breath as a hulking figure strode through the doorless doorway. His head snapped to the side, stark white teeth standing out in the darkness of the room. "_I_ can see _you_."

Raven stepped out of the darkness, her hands clouded in black energy. "Who are you?"

The man didn't answer, he just lunged at her. She easily stepped out of his way but his heavy body smacked into the window wall, leaving a fresh crack in the once perfect surface.

"What do you want?" Raven hissed, dodging him once again.

His speed was incredible but he seemed to be entirely human. She didn't want to hurt a human if she didn't have to. She bobbed and weaved as he swung out his fists to catch her in the jaw or temple. Raven felt the cool glass press against her back as he charged at her. Her eyes shot to the side. She wanted to dodge - _should_ dodge. Then her eyes shifted to the crack._ If I move__, he'll break through the glass and hurt himself. That's a long drop for a human._

He took her moment of hesitation to his own advantage. He threw his body at her. The wind burst out of her lungs as his enormous body slammed into her hard. The glass against her back gave way from the pressure and shimmering shards of glass rained down on Raven as she and the shadow man fell.

He had her hands pinned to her side but her power of flight still worked. She used it to let them both land gently amidst the broken pieces of glass. She struggled against him as her toes pressed against the ground. "Leave me the hell alone!"

Without warning, he released her and disappeared entirely. Raven smoothed back her damp hair, her hood missing, as she glanced around for him. Cold water smacked into her back, bringing out another terrified scream from Raven.

She clamped her eyes shut and spun around, snarling and batting the water away. "Stop it!"

Her concentration was lost as the stream of water continued to soak her. She tried to conjure another barrier but her mind was too busy fighting against the fear taking control of her body.

"Stop!" Her voice was more frantic now but still the water blasted her.

"I. Said. _Stop_!" Without thinking, Raven used her powers to lift the scattered glass and launched them at the shadow man.

The water stopped instantly and Raven doubled over with her hand on her chest as her pulse rang in her ears. Her head snapped to the side, furry burning deeply inside of her. However, all traces of fright and anger dissolved immediately as she saw the man drop the water hose.

He stumbled back, clutching his stomach. Raven rushed to catch him as he tipped backwards, a whisper of breath passing over his lips. She eased him down gently onto his back, her eyes widening to the size of saucers.

She splayed her fingers out over the jagged glass shard protruding from his stomach. Her fingers coiled around it and she tugged as hard as she could, sobs shaking her shoulders. "No. No. No. Please, no."

The glass sliced open her skin repeatedly as her fingers slipped on the bloody fragment but she still urgently pulled at the sharp shard. Tears flooded down her cheeks as she gave up on removing the glass and attempted to heal the wound in the man's chest.

Unfortunately, her healing powers wouldn't come and it didn't matter anyway. The light in the man's eyes had winked out and he stared at her lifelessly. Raven's scream pierced the quiet night as she clutched her head between her hands.

After the long scream had died in her throat, Raven pulled her hands away. She stared down at her palms, which shook violently. Crimson blood soaked her entire hand, both hers and the man's. Choked sobs wracked her body as she pulled free her communicator with difficulty. She pushed a button and moments later, Beast Boy's face appeared on the screen.

He opened one eye and stared into the screen then turned to glance over his shoulder. He sat bolt upright, wide awake now. "Raven? Where are you?"

"I don't know." She replied, her voice cracking. "Can you please come get―"

Her bloody hand covered her mouth as another round of harsh sobs shook her body. Beast Boy's eyes widened. "Don't move. I'll find you."

••••••••

Raven closed her eyes, focusing on the rhythmic pulse of Beast Boy's heart as he carried her to their shared motel room.

"I already called the others. Robin and Starfire are back at the room. We'll get you fixed up." His voice sounded muffled, as if Raven were submerged under water.

No sooner had he spoke the words, the door flew open and Starfire rushed out. "Raven!"

Raven winced at the sound of her own name and buried her face into Beast Boy's bare chest, feeling the tears well up in her eyes. Beast Boy had carried her all the way from the construction site in nothing but his boxers. He didn't complain once about Raven being soaked, cold, and bloody. He didn't crack a single joke either.

Beast Boy handled serious situations with jokes to ease the tension and avoid the pain inside of himself. But the jokes made Beast Boy who he was. She'd never admit it, but not hearing Beast Boy tell jokes made Raven feel even worse.

He gently set her on the queen-sized bed and stepped back as Starfire knelt beside Raven. Robin stared down at her, his arms over his chest. He spoke quietly to Beast Boy as Starfire whispered soothingly to Raven.

Raven sat solemnly on the edge of her bed in the motel room as Starfire carefully and tenderly wrapped her shredded hands.

"Raven." Robin spoke softly but urgently. "What happened?"

"Someone attacked her." Beast Boy answered when Raven didn't.

Robin was trying desperately to be gentle. "I need to hear it from her."

"I killed someone." Raven whispered.

"He _attacked_ you." Beast Boy snapped. If she wasn't going to defend herself, he would. The thought nearly made Raven smile. "You didn't jump in a pool of water yourself."

"Raven." Robin whispered again, kneeling beside her. "I need to know the whole story."

"I couldn't sleep." Raven replied, her voice faint. "I was walking around on the rooftops and I saw a shadow man out of the corner of my eye. He kicked me off of the roof we were on. Then splashed me with water."

Starfire's head tilted to the side. "How could this shadow man have known you had a fear of water?"

Raven shook her head helplessly. "I don't know. But I ran away to a construction site. He ran into me and we broke the glass. He grabbed a hose and kept splashing me." The tears welled behind Raven's eyes and her lip quivered. "He wouldn't stop. I just wanted him to stop."

Raven bit her lip, trying to regain her composure before continuing. "I used my powers and shot the glass shards at him. One stabbed him. I tried so hard to get it out and heal him. But my powers-" Raven choked on her words and rested her head on her knees.

She felt a gentle hand stroke her back as Robin whispered. "Take me to the body, Beast Boy."

Starfire spoke softly to Raven as she dabbed the water off of Raven's face and even handed the pink moth larva, Silkie, over to Raven in an attempt to cheer her up. As Raven stroked the little pink glob's stomach, Robin and Beast Boy returned.

"I don't get it." Robin shook his head, his eyes scrunched together. "Why would a human attack her?"

"Human?" Raven launched herself on to her feet, dumping Silkie from her lap. "Did you say he was _human_?"

Robin nodded, unable to meet her gaze. Raven rushed forward, grasping Robin's shirt in her fists and shaking him frantically. "He wasn't human. He _couldn't_ have been human. I mean, I thought he was human but he wasn't! There was _no_ way he could have done the things he did if he was human." She rambled.

Robin gripped her wrists firmly. "Raven. Stop."

She turned to Beast Boy, her violet eyes wild and panicked with an underlying thread of helplessness. The changeling's gaze shifted to his feet as he mumbled, "We saw the body, Raven. He was human."

"That's not…That's not possible!" Raven's grip on her self control was slipping. "No. _No!_"

Robin grabbed her by her shoulders. "Raven, calm down."

Raven sealed her lips shut as a sob nearly escaped. Robin stared down at her, speaking softly. "Why don't you spend some time with your mother?"

"But-."

"We can handle this, Raven." Beast Boy insisted.

Starfire rose to her feet and smiled at the empath. "Yes. Please rest, friend. We will investigate."

"Raven." Raven's eyes shifted back to Robin, who had an encouraging smile on his face. "I'm sure your mother would love to see you."

Raven's head hung in defeat and she pressed her forehead against Robin's chest as she whispered. "She would."

Robin gently pried Raven's fingers from his clothing. "We know he was trying to hurt you, Raven. We know you were scared. Try not to blame yourself too much."

Raven made a snort of contempt as she rolled her eyes. _You're one to talk._

However, she didn't argue. She grabbed her duffel bag and slung it over her shoulder without another word of protest. She placed her hand on Silkie's tiny head as Starfire held him in her arms, apologizing for dropping him.

The tiny pink blob gurgled in response and wiggled its legs.

"We'll call you if we need you." Robin tossed Raven a reassuring smile. "Have fun, Rae. Relax."

Raven nodded as she dashed away the tears from her cheeks. "Be careful."

Dark energy wrapped around her figure, taking the shape of a her namesake, and then blinked out as if a switch was flipped. Raven opened her eyes to find herself standing in the middle of her mother's living room.

Arella turned around to face her daughter, a white dove perched on her forearm. She stroked the dove's pure white belly as she smiled at Raven. "Welcome home."

Raven shifted uncomfortably. "Could I…stay here for a little bit?"

Arella's thin eyebrow arched. "Why do you need to ask to stay in your home?"

"I just don't want to impose." Raven cleared her throat and walked down the narrow hallway to her old bedroom.

She dumped her duffel bag on to her bed, which creaked as Raven sat on it. She sighed, placing her head in her hands. _I can't believe he was human. He kept up with me so well and he was ridiculously strong. How could I have killed a human…_

Arella rapped her knuckles against the door frame. "I made you some tea if you'd like it."

Raven held out her hands, a shaky smile on her lips. "Thanks, mom."

Arella smiled as she stepped into Raven's dark room and placed the cup in her daughter's hands. "Would you like to go for a walk with me once you get settled?"

Raven nodded. "A walk would be nice."

Arella nodded and slid out of Raven's room. Raven could sense her mother's curiosity and she loved Arella all the more for not drilling her with questions. Raven tipped the cup back, spilling the tea into her mouth. She swallowed her mother's homemade drink and stared absently at the blank wall before her. She licked the insides of her cheek, tasting the sugar left behind from the overly sweet tea.

"This war is getting to all of us." Raven whispered aloud, recalling Beast Boy's words back in the hotel.

Her head bowed. _That's exactly what this is - a war - and the outcome scares me to death._

She rose to her feet, downed the rest of her mother's tea and stepped into the kitchen where her mother was. "Ready for that walk?"

* * *

**Just a head's up, If I change to another person's POV, I will most likely do it like this:**

- Beast Boy -

Blah, blah, blah. Words, words, words.

- End Beast Boy -

**The next chapter won't be from Beast Boy's POV (sorry!) I just used him as an example haha**

**If there's no heading like that, assume it's from Raven's POV **_-Anii_


	12. Chapter 12

**Update 4/19/13**

**I won't be in town next week, so I won't be able to update this story on Wednesday**

**However, I might possibly update earlier or just do a double update day when I come back.**

**Which would you rather have?**

**My first Robin POV! :D**

**It's still third person, it just follows Robin.**

**I promised I'd give you a little Robin and Starfire action ;D**

**Did Anii deliver? XD**

_-Anii_

* * *

**Chapter 12: "Let's waste time. Chasing cars."**

_**― Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol**_

-Robin-

Robin ran his fingers through his hair, cool night air breezing by as the sky lightened, the sun fast approaching. He forgot all about Starfire until she spoke up beside him. "Do you think friend Raven will forget?"

Robin opened his mouth, a smile on his lips. However, it died as his optimism plummeted. "No. Not any time soon."

Starfire's face dropped and Robin reached out, his fingers entwining with hers. "But she's Raven. She may not forget what happened, but she's not going to let it control her. She'll be alright."

The door slammed behind the couple, making Robin jump out of his skin. Beast Boy smiled at his friends. "Sorry. I'm going to go back with Cyborg and help out."

Robin nodded solemnly but cast the shape shifter a quick smile. "You two have really stepped it up. I'm proud to see you guys taking the reins and keeping the Titans safe."

Beast Boy laughed, abashed. "I'm just doing what you do all the time. See ya, Star. Robin."

Robin watched as Beast Boy morphed into a raven and shook out his wings before taking off. A searing pain shot through Robin's heart and he groaned aloud as he pushed his fingers through his hair again - a nervous he had acquired since this catastrophe began a year ago.

A light touch made him turn sharply to see Starfire, the sun's fresh morning glow making the alien princess shine. Robin reached out, his fingertips brushing against her giggled and hunched her shoulders, smiling brightly and piercing straight through the gloom in Robin's heart. He brought her in close and his lips lightly grazed hers.

He'd never understand the depth of his feelings for Starfire. On the inside, he was chaotic. He always held onto things that were better left behind and he shouldered everything for his friends, even when they didn't want him to. Starfire was free and charismatic, releasing the thorns in her heart and slapping a band-aid on the wound.

She had her moments of weakness and occasionally slipped into despair but it didn't matter. She was more than enough to balance and compliment him. It wasn't about completing one another. It was about being able to rely on each other for balance and happiness.

Starfire wasn't the light of his life but she certainly helped push the sun out from behind the gray clouds.

Robin held her against his body, relishing in the feeling of holding her. She curved against his body perfectly and she smelled heavenly.

"Robin?" The way Starfire said his name made a wide smile take over his face.

"Mhm?" Robin mumbled into her fiery-red hair.

"We are boyfriend and girlfriend, yes?" She asked, puzzled.

Robin, caught by surprise, choked back a nervous laugh as he pulled back slightly. "Yes. We are."

Starfire's bright green eyes stared straight at him, full of wonder. "What does that mean?"

Robin mentally face palmed, forgetting that his girlfriend didn't understand the concept of Earth Dating. A blush streaked across his face as he released her to rub his neck. "Well. Well…"

His mind fumbled for the right words. "I-it's kind of like courting."

"Courting?" One of Star's long fingers tapped against her finger as she mulled over the thought. "When a man and woman show interest in each other?"

"Yeah." Robin let out a sigh of relief as the tension fled from his limbs.

"The purpose of courting is to marry. Are we going to marry, Robin?" She questioned innocently.

His spine went ramrod straight as a blush scorched his flesh. "I-I-" Robin snapped his jaw shut, took a deep breath, and asked, "Do you want to get married?"

Starfire considered this a moment, her pretty face scrunching up pensively. "I do not know."

Robin shook off the tension binding his muscles, a smile breaking apart his lips. "Then we don't have to think about it now."

Dawn blazed brilliantly, covering the world with a golden glow. Robin pulled Starfire closer to him and kissed her deeply, nearly breaking the kiss with a smile as she kissed him back.

-End Robin-

••••••••

"Raven_, please_!" Arella called to her daughter. "Come down!"

Raven giggled freely, the wind dancing around her as she scaled the bell tower. Her fingers easily found tiny niches in the wall of the tower and she had already climbed so high so quickly.

"_What_ are you doing!?" Raven hissed to herself.

"_I'm just having a little fun." _Her emotion replied. _"We never have fun anymore. Why don't we climb buildings or go out and fight some bad guys?"_

Raven clenched her jaw. "Because this isn't the time to be having fun. And we don't climb buildings because we can _fly_!"

"_Wrong, Raven. This is the perfect time to have fun." _Bravery replied calmly as she climbed nimbly from one crack to another with Raven's body.

Raven had no snappy comeback for that so, instead, she focused on shoving her emotion back down deep inside of her. _First Rage, now Bravery. I don't even want to know what's next._

"I just want my body back." Raven whispered hotly.

"_No can do!" _Bravery shouted playfully. _"Not until we have a little fun!"_

Raven's body moved of its own accord as it used a foothold to launch itself high into the air. Her fingers latched onto the edge of the bell tower's ledge and her muscles strained as she hauled herself up.

Raven's body perched itself on the very ledge she had just dangled from. She panted more from panic than exhaustion and studied the bell residing in the tower. She had never been up close and personal with it before. It looked incredibly old and brittle, must to her shock due to the fact that the sturdy bell had rung loud and clear for centuries according to her mother.

_Mother._ Raven glanced down to see her mother standing at the base of the tower, her worried eyes watching Raven like a hawk. A strong wind rushed by, tossing Raven's hair around. Bravery cried out happily in Raven's mind and forced Raven to throw open her arms as if to embrace the wandering wind.

Raven'e eyes widened as her emotion toyed with her body even more so. Bravery made Raven's body dance across the thin stone ledge. Raven's body balanced perfectly, however, Bravery wasn't done yet. Raven's body bent down and suddenly she was upside down. Raven walked back and forth across the ledge on her hands, teetering like a toddler.

"You're being irresponsible with my body!" Raven cried, hating the tinge of fear in her voice.

"_**Our**__ body, Raven. I'm a part of you." _Bravery quipped. _"And you've been ignoring me. Actually, you've been ignoring a lot of us lately. Even more so than usual."_

"Can you just put me down!" Raven shrieked as her body swayed a little too far for comfort.

"Fine."

Raven landed safely on her feet just as her communicator vibrated against her hip bone. She moved to unhook it and paused. Bravery had apparently released Raven entirely. It felt strange to be in control of her own body once again.

Raven sighed heavily, silently chiding her brave side as she flicked open her communicator's lid. Robin's face appeared, a big grin on his face. "Well hello, Mr. Sunshine."

Robin ignored her sarcasm and smiled wider. He looked like he was ready to burst at the seams with happiness. "We might have a lead."

Raven blinked with confusion. "Seriously?"

"You better meet up with Beast Boy and Cyborg. Star and I will catch up later."

* * *

**If you don't like Greg Cipes, ignore this entire fan girl rant!**

**Have you ever seen Greg? His eyes _sparkle_. I have never seen that before in a person.**

**I'm going to sound like a total idiot but, when he laughs, it honestly sounds so pure. It's a real laugh, straight from the heart.**

**I just love it! I love to hear him talk and sing. Okay, I'm done. I just had to spread my love for Greg (Cipette forever! haha)** _-Anii_


	13. Chapter 13

**The lyrics of the song Goth sings were created by DarkenedRequiem :D**

**Thank you so so so so much!**

**I know, it's not Wednesday! :O**

**Well, I decided to update all on one day since I felt so bad.**

**I didn't have much time for editing this weekend.**

**Don't worry though,**

**I still plan on editing past updates for grammar and such.**

**I'll see you all next week!**

**Wish me luck!**

_-Anii_

* * *

**Chapter 13: "This isn't pretty but it's what I am tonight."**

_**― Make a Move by Icon for Hire**_

Raven dropped to the ground. "What news do you have?"

Cyborg tapped at a keyboard on his forearm as he muttered absently, "I'm typing in the coordinates now."

"Coordinates?" Raven's eyes widened. "For what?"

Beast Boy leapt up on Cyborg's back and poked his head near the screen. "We talked to one of the Titans. They think they might have seen one of Siren's cohorts."

Raven crossed her arms over her chest as Cyborg shoved Beast Boy's face out-of-the-way of his screen. Raven glanced around. "Robin called me and told me to come but I don't see him anywhere."

"They're out getting your disguises." Beast Boy replied still trying to shove his nose against Cyborg's screen.

"Why would we need disguises?" Raven asked.

Cyborg struggled to push Beast Boy away as he replied. "The guy we're looking for is a singer for some metal band. We're going to go to his concert in Peoria, Illinois where we'll nab him backstage."

"So, how are we going to do that?" Raven felt something surge in her chest.

"You, Robin, and Star are going in the crowd as part of the audience. BB and I will find a way in and, when Robin gives the signal, we're gonna jump in and attack the target." Cyborg managed to throw Beast Boy to the ground. "Get off of me, you grass stain!"

••••••••

Raven touched her gelled hair with disgust. Starfire had stuffed her in a pair of ridiculous looking pants- one leg was red and the other leg was black. Her black t-shirt had a picture of the target's face plastered on it with his band's logo scrawled under his head.

"Time for makeup!" Starfire squealed.

The tamaranean's red hair was all pulled over on to one side with deep purple strips streaking down from her scalp. She was in a pair of tight black jeans and had fake piercing running up the curve of her ear. She had on a blood-red tank top and a leather jacket.

Starfire scooped up a thick eyeliner pencil. "I searched for styles that belong to the metal culture of Earth! I pray-"

"Are you ladies done in there?" Robin asked from outside of the bathroom door.

"Robin!" Starfire threw open the door with gusto. "You must apply the eyeliner as well!"

Robin was dressed in white skinny jeans with a decorated belt around his waist. He had on a simple black t-shirt that hugged every curve of his muscled body. A silver necklace hung squarely in the middle of his chest.

His hair was teased out and sprayed with hair spray until not a single strand of black hair moved. Fresh black nail polish was already chipping on his fingernails.

Robin's cheeks turned red as Cyborg and Beast Boy grinned tauntingly. "Do I have to?"

"Yes, yes!" Starfire cried as she pulled him in, an ever-present smile on her lips.

Starfire turned Raven away from the mirror and stuck a fake lip ring on to her bottom lip. She swiped the large pencil around Raven's eyes and fiddled with Raven's hair. Finally, she clapped her hands together and spun Raven around.

Raven's jaw nearly dropped as she stared at her reflection. "I look like a raccoon."

"Did I do something wrong?" Starfire's smile drooped.

Raven waved her hands frantically in front of her. "No! It's not you. It's the style. Well, it's not _my_ style."

"Good. Robin, you are next." Starfire turned to Robin, who balked.

"S-seriously? I thought you were kidding." He stammered.

Starfire yanked him closer to her and as she happily floated before him. She moved to take off his mask but Robin's hands shot out to stop her. "I'll just wear sunglasses."

"Sunglasses. At night. In a dark concert hall." Raven crossed her arms over her chest. "Yeah, that won't be suspicious."

Robin cast her a scathing glance and Starfire stared at him with puppy dog eyes. "Please." She pleaded.

"Fine! I'll wear the damn makeup." Robin hissed, a full-on blush now taking over his face.

Raven stepped out of the bathroom and slid the door closed, shutting her eyes. She leaned against the wooden door, her arms crossed over her chest. She heard snickers of laughter and her eyes shot open. "Shut up!"

Cyborg clutched his stomach and threw his head back as he roared with laughter. "Sorry, Rae."

Raven's scathing gaze shifted to Beast Boy, who only stared at her, his eyes slightly wide. "What?" She hissed.

Beast Boy closed his eyes and shook his head. "Nothing."

Raven dropped her head into her right palm and sighed heavily. She was tired again.

"I talked to Jericho." Beast Boy murmured.

Raven's muscles tensed. "And?"

Beast Boy stepped forward, his voice a low whisper that reached her even above Cyborg's booming laugh. "I told him you were sorry and he shook his head. I don't really know what that means but he looked concerned, Raven. I don't think he thinks you're a freak or anything."

Raven let out a soft exhale, her head liftinig from her palm. She felt the tiniest bit of weight lift from her shoulders. "Thanks, Beast Boy."

The door to the bathroom flung open, smashing Raven into the wall.

"When we find this guy, I'm going to break all of his teeth." Robin hissed through clenched teeth.

Now both Beast Boy and Cyborg were howling with laughter as Robin stomped over to the foot of the motel bed.

Raven pushed away the door, holding her nose, as Starfire zoomed out. The alien girl's eyes lit up at the sight of Raven and she dragged her back into the bathroom.

Starfire dug around in her shopping bags while Raven's fingers prodded the bridge of her nose for any breaks. The princess pulled out a contact case and held it out to Raven. "My studies showed that Goth's audience sometimes will wear these iris colors."

Raven took the case timidly and unscrewed the left cap. "They're white."

Starfire nodded vigorously. "This color seemed to be the most common."

Raven sighed but obediently dipped her finger into the left eye cup. _I'm with Robin on this one. _Raven thought as she stared at her reflection, one eye white and watering while the other was still violet. _Goth's getting his ass beat._

••••••••

Heavy music, harsh red lights, and ridiculous heat.

Yup, Raven was positive this was Hell.

Bodies squirmed all around her as Goth belted grumbling notes into the microphone clutched in his hand. Sweat was beginning to form along her spine as she shoved a tall man aside to get a better look at the target.

The tall man spun around. He was in his late-forties yet he was shirtless, sweaty, and, judging from the sizes of his pupils, high as a cloud. Raven glared at him, causing him to mutter a few nasty words under his breath. However, he just went back to thrashing around in the crowd like an animal.

Raven rolled her eyes then focused them on the man perched on stage, three red lights beaming down on him from different angles. _That's Goth._

The vocalist was dressed in an outlandish black general's outfit with gleaming silver buttons trailing from the hollow of his throat to his navel. Long black hair,which he frequently ran his fingers through or grabbed fistfuls of, covered the right half of his face. He jerked around on stage, giving Raven a better view of his countenance.

His shining ice blue eyes were rimmed with thick black eyeliner and two black triangles ran from just under his bottom eye lid down to the curve of his jaw line. His nails were painted black and he wore several silver rings on numerous fingers.

His voice was deep but not hoarse. He swayed with the music as if it were moving him alone and he sang beautifully, each word was heavy yet crystal clear and meaningful.

"Who says you have to conform. Rules and regulations, suits to adorn. No freedom, no place to rejoice." Goth bellowed.

He thrust his hand out then dragged it back in, curling his ringed fingers into a tight fist against his chest. The brash, chaotic music drifted the slightest to a softer melody and Goth's voice rang out, his voice enchanting and soft as he reached his hand out to the audience.

"Come with me little songbird-"

"Raven." Raven turned to see a gothified Robin standing beside her. "We're almost ready. Are you?"

Raven nodded absently, her attention turning once again to Goth, who knelt on the ground. His one visible eye pierced straight though her heart and she stepped back. It was if he saw her and her alone. It wasn't some cheesy romantic movie scene; Raven's life didn't work like that.

He didn't want to whisk her away to a castle on the clouds. No, Goth looked like he wanted to rip her heart out and take a bite of it. _I guess, in a way, that's kind of romantic_, Raven joked inwardly, her nose crinkling with disgust.

"I'll show you the way, I'll set you free/ Come with me to a far away place/Follow me far beneath what you see/ I'll give you freedom, I'll give you a choice.I'll be your God, I'll give you a voice." Goth spat out the last word like a hiss as the instruments around him flared to life on stage and the chaos began again."Second step in life still following the same pace/ Above the noise and the rush you've lost your place/ You say who am I what am I doing here/Your dreams and aspirations have faded to the atmosphere/ I'm holding out my hand, I'm ushering you near/ I'm giving you a second chance, If you'll only come here/"

A body slammed into Raven and a guy elbowed her in the gut as Goth repeated his chorus. However, this time the chorus was just as rambunctious as the rest of the song. Raven turned to see a female flopping amongst the twisting bodies, she repeatedly jerked her hips to the side and smacked against Raven's side.

Raven bit down on her lip. The girl was half-naked and she repeatedly screamed Goth's stage name. Goth's guitarist stepped beside him and belted out a deep scream into the microphone.

Raven had the urge to cover her ears but she fought it off. Goth once again sang the chorus and Raven decided to push her way through the crowd to her position for the attack, which happened to be directly in front of Goth.

She scanned the writhing crowd to see both Starfire and Robin making their way to their positions as well. Raven inhaled deeply, nearly gagging on the stench of body odor permeating the concert hall.

" Last stop in life is here/ You've spent most of your life in pain, sweat and tears/ You think about your experiences, your dreams, your regrets. The last bit of good news is the journey isn't over yet."

Goth bent down on one knee on the lip of the stage and tilted his head to the side, his gaze locking with Raven's and his voice instantly lowered to a breathy whisper as the music behind him fizzled out.

"Come with me I'll take you to paradise/ Look at me, see the trust in my eyes?"

"Nice try." Raven pursed her lips together.

The crowd roared with screams and chants and yet Goth seemed to hear her and even smiled, a sinister grin really. Raven ignored the skip of her heart at the deep, rumbling chuckle that came from the demon's voice. He lowered the microphone and laid one arm on his bent knee.

"_I know all about you, Raven," _his voice echoed around her skull, _"daughter of Trigon."_

Raven saw the bolt of green light and made her move. She grabbed a fistful of Goth's costume and leapt up onto the stage effortlessly. As she landed, she was surprised at his height; he was nearly seven-foot.

He grinned down at her, his one blue eye watching with fascination. His group members tried to stop her but Goth held up a hand to them, laughing gleefully. When his band stared at her with hostility, he slung his arm over her shoulder, almost having to bend down just to do so. "She's just so eager to be _free_." The way he said free sent an icy shiver up her spine.

Raven nearly ripped his arm off with her teeth but she held her temper and led Goth away from the busy stage area. Fans screamed his stage name, dismay clear in their voices. She even heard several vile words thrown in her direction. It didn't matter. Raven was in charge of taking Goth out of sight while Robin and Starfire would stay with the crowd in case there was a riot. Beast Boy and Cyborg would help Raven once she got him out of sight.

Raven gripped Goth's wrist and used all her strength to slam him into the painted black bricks of the backstage wall. "If you know about me, you know we're here to kick your ass."

Musky cologne wafted up her nose as she shoved her face closer to his, hovering so she was even with him. "Tell me who you're working for."

Goth laughed, his head falling forward as the deep chuckle shook his shoulders. Raven stared into his eye, searching for answers hidden there. Green flecks tainted the beautiful blue in his iris and a golden brown ring circled his pupil.

His eye and grin widened. "Why should I?"

"Because we'll kill you if you don't." Raven hissed in her most threatening voice.

As soon as she finished her sentence, the grate above clattered to the ground and a robotic man and shape shifter dropped to the floor behind her. Cyborg's laser cannon was already aimed right at Goth. "Listen to the nice lady."

Cries of outrage reached Raven's ears and she tore her gaze from Goth's momentarily. The cries were coming from the concert hall, followed by loud crashes and loud explosions.

"Guess my fans aren't too happy." Goth taunted. "Hope your friends can stop them without hurting themselves."

Cyborg moved towards the concert hall but Raven held up a hand. "Robin and Starfire can handle it."

_If we don't get this information out of him, we'll never get another chance. He'll be on guard and we'll be left with no clues. _Raven thought, a bead of sweat trickling down the side of her face. "Tell us."

Goth's breathy laugh echoed in the dark room. "My lips are sealed. Unless…" He locked eyes with Raven. "Maybe if I get a kiss, my lips will tell you what you want to hear."

Raven's lips pulled back in a snarl. "Okay."

Cyborg choked back a cry of surprise. "Seriously?"

Raven turned to look over her shoulder and jerked her head towards Goth. "Beast Boy. Kiss him."

Beast Boy opened his mouth to protest but Raven's eyes flashed red and he snapped his jaw shut. He stepped forward and Goth laughed. "Stop teasing, Raven." His voice dropped to a low growl. "You know I meant you."

Raven's head turned back around just in time for her lips to receive Goth's kiss. Her eyes shot open wide as Goth's warm lips moved against hers. Pure rage burst forth and she chomped down on his lower lip until the tang of blood flooded her mouth.

Goth pulled away instantly, a trail of dark blood rolling over the curve of his lip and down his chin. "Feisty. That's hot."

Raven spit his blood from her mouth just as Beast Boy's fist smashed into Goth's jaw. She heard a satisfying snap and held back her grin as she moved her body between Goth and Beast Boy. She thrust out her arm as Beast Boy lunged to strike Goth again.

"Hey, calm yourself." Raven whispered.

Her hands gently cupped Beast Boy's face and she forced him to look away from Goth. "Are you listening to me?"

Beast Boy's eyes widened and the look in his face made Raven's heart thump painfully against her breastbone. She flung her head to the side as a blush penetrated her cheeks. "Alright. Talk, Goth, or I'll take something very precious to you."

"Like my heart?" Goth teased. "Just kidding. I have no heart."

He was lying but Raven could sense the underlying pain beneath his words. She shoved away her curiosity and focused on trying to scare the hell out of a demon. Black energy clouded around her hands and she clenched her jaw. "Last chance, Goth."

Goth's lips screwed into a sick smile just moments before the wall behind him caved. Dust blocked Raven's vision and she coughed into the crook of her elbow. Her fingers lashed out, searching for Goth.

She found nothing.

_Damn it. _She hissed. Something solid collided with her jaw and Raven saw stars explode in her vision as she was knocked to the ground by the force. As the dust cleared, Raven saw Goth standing beside an incredibly built man with metal covering his mouth.

She threw herself back as the muscular man reached for her. She felt the emotions shift inside of him. He was angry with her now, taking her action as a form of rejection.

Raven scrambled away from his fist as it pulverized the ground where she had just been. Goth's face was the most serious Raven had seen it as he turned away from the Titans and paused at the hole in the wall. "Finish them off."

Cyborg launched himself at the built man, intercepting the man's attempt to punch Raven once more. Cyborg's strong arms locked around the man's right arm. Beast Boy followed, grabbing the man's left arm, but still both male Titans struggled to hold back the enormous enemy.

"I've got him."

Raven's head snapped up to see a figure drop from the ceiling and land just beside her. The newcomer was nearly as tall as Goth had been. Tight gray fabric stretched across his muscular chest and a golden belt hung at his hips. A black cape draped down his back and a black mask covered the majority of his face.

Raven's eyes scanned the black bat symbol printed on the newcomer's chest and she held in her gasp. _(Anii Comment: *Fangirl flail* BATMAN!)_

Batman flexed his gloved fingers as he spoke to the restrained bodybuilder before him. "Hello, Bane."

Bane's eyes lit up and, although Raven couldn't see his mouth, she heard the smile in his voice. "Hello, Bruce."

Bane shook off Beast Boy and Cyborg easily, slamming them both into each other and effectively knocking them out. Raven moved towards them but Batman's arm blocked her. She glanced up at the intimidating superhero but his eyes were locked on to Bane.

"I'm bringing you back to prison." Batman stated.

Bane chuckled. "We'll see about that."

Bane moved to smash in Cyborg's skull but Raven's soul self came to life, coiling around Bane's body. Raven's voice was low and beyond pissed. "Don't touch him."

Bane's eyes bulged the slightest and he looked at Raven with mild curiosity. Batman placed a hand on Raven's shoulder. "Take your friends away from here."

Just as Raven released Bane from his bonds, Batman lunged at his enemy. The two battled heavily, blood from both splattering against the walls and floor. Raven thrust out both hands and her soul self rushed out from her fingertips.

The dark energy curled around Beast Boy and Cyborg. Raven lifted her hands and both male Titans rose off of the floor effortlessly. She moved them towards a corner in the backstage area and laid them both on the floor beside each other. She constructed a black dome that covered all three of them as a form of protection.

Raven's palms hovered just above Cyborg's head as light blue energy puffed out around her hands. She held down the bitter snort as the image of her dead attacker's body flashed before her eyes.

The entire building seemed to rattle as a particularly strong explosion boomed just outside of Raven's energy wall. She grimaced as Batman's body slammed into her wall. She watched as Bane charged towards the fallen hero and, in a split second, moved her protection dome to include Batman's unconscious body.

Bane didn't even attempt to bang against the black energy as Raven had expected. He just laughed and spun around on his heels. He slid through the hole that Goth had escaped from just as Batman let out a pained groan.

Raven's limbs shook with adrenaline but she didn't dare drop her barrier. Robin rushed into the backstage area, his face dropping at the sight of the blood.

"Robin!" Raven called.

Relief flooded Robin's face as he saw her sitting in the dark corner. She dropped her barrier to allow him entrance and he stared down at his master, wide-eyed. "B-batman?"

Batman pulled himself into a sitting position and mumbled. "Richard? What the hell are you wearing?"

Robin's face flushed and he stammered out an explanation. Raven cut him off. "Where's Starfire?"

"I am here." Starfire piped up as she stepped into the backstage area.

Raven let out a sigh of relief. "Everyone's okay then?"

"I'm not." Cyborg grumbled behind her.

Raven glanced over her shoulder to see the cybernetic man rubbing his head. "My pride is hurt." He groaned.

Raven suppressed a small laugh and her eyes drifted to the still unconscious Beast Boy. "What now, Robin?" Raven whispered.

She hated to put such pressure on Robin when she knew how much turmoil he was experiencing but she was at a loss as she stroked Beast Boy's hair gently. It was Batman who answered her, however. "Bane escaped from prison. Our safest bet is to look at the security cameras and see if we can catch a glimpse of a partner. I have a hunch about who let him out."

"I think it's safe to assume that meat head and that freaky goth dude are working together." Cyborg muttered.

Raven nodded in agreement and avoided Robin's gaze, feeling guilty. A communicator rang and Raven's hand immediately went to hers. However, it was Robin's and he flipped it open quickly. "Aqualad? Is everything alright?"

"Better than alright."

Raven's eyes widened and she leapt to her feet, moving behind Robin to glanced over his shoulder. "Did you find a way to cure this ridiculous phobia?"

"Not exactly." Before Raven's heart could plummet with disappointment, Aqualad added, "But I think we found someone who can help."

"Who?!" Robin shouted, his excitement bubbling over.

"She helped Aquaman a while back, she's known as the Lady of the Lake." Aqualad informed.

Raven lifted an eyebrow. "Like from the King Arthur tales?"

Aqualad nodded. "One in the same. Anyways, I can take you to her, but we'd have to leave tonight."

Robin's gaze flitted to Batman then back to his communicator's screen. Raven noticed and spoke quickly. "I'll go."

Robin glanced at her and she smiled. "You help Batman and take care of the others."

When Robin gave her an unsure stare, she added, "Aqualad will be with me."

"I promise I'll take care of her." Aqualad provided.

Robin sighed, effectively giving in. Raven mentally did a victory dance but spoke calmly to Aqualad. "Send your coordinates to my communicator and I'll be right there."

_Finally! _Raven cheered. _I can get rid of this stupid phobia!_

Her excitement died away as she caught a glimpse of the still unconscious Beast Boy. Her voice dropped to barely a whisper. "Take care of him, okay?"

Robin nodded firmly as he ended the call with Aqualad. "I will."

* * *

**I don't know if any of you read my Spirited Away fan fiction, but Goth's appearance was loosely based off of my Grim Reaper.**

**;_; ****I miss that story so much.**

**Goth's real appearance though is totally different**_ -Anii_


	14. Chapter 14

**Woot Woot!**

**This chapter was so fun to make XD**

**I actually added a Beast Boy POV in this chapter!**

**Enjoy!**

_-Anii_

* * *

**Chapter 14: ****"Is there something unsaid?"**

_―** Dark in my Imagination by Of Verona**_

Aqualad smoothed back his dripping wet hair as Raven approached, her shoes sinking in the sand with every step she took. "Are you going to be able to do this? In order to get to the Lady's temple, we'll have to go underwater."

Raven shoved down the trembling fear that rose in her chest and nodded firmly.

Aqualad smiled. "Good." He stretched out his arm, offering Raven his hand.

Raven took it and he gave hers a reassuring squeeze. A black bubbled covered Raven and Aqualad smirked. "So that's how you're going to do it. Alright. Well, let's go."

He tugged on Raven's hand and pulled her in the water until it rose to his hips. The energy barrier protected Raven from the ocean's waters but her panic rose higher with every passing second.

"Don't let go." Aqualad insisted.

Raven clutched his hand tightly. "I won't."

••••••••

-Beast Boy-

Beast Boy groaned as the fog lifted from his mind and a dull ache throbbed in his temples.

"Take it easy."

Beast boy opened his eyes to see his friends standing over him - with the exception of one. "Where's Raven?"

Before anyone could answer, a man walked in wearing a tight black costume, a DVD in his right hand. "It took some convincing, but I got the video from the prison's security cameras."

Robin smiled up at the man as he came near and passed into the light coming from a ceiling light directly above Beast Boy. The shape shifter's eyes widened as they took in the gold bat emblazoned on the man's muscular chest.

Batman clamped a hand down on Robin's shoulder. "We should get to work." Batman glanced at Beast Boy and flashed him a slightly strained smile. "Good to see you awake."

The master and student left, leaving Beast Boy with Cyborg and Starfire. The changeling repeated his question and Cyborg spoke up. "She went with Aqualad."

Beast Boy bit down on the bitter jealousy rising in his throat. "What for?"

"To find a way to fix her phobia." Cyborg glanced at Starfire. "Hey Star, can you get Beast Boy some new clothes and an icepack?"

Star nodded, flashing Beast Boy a smile, and left quickly. Cyborg crossed his large arms over his metal chest. Beast Boy squirmed under his best friend's gaze and adverted his eyes. "What?"

"Nothing. Just wondering why you're such a coward." Cyborg replied sarcastically.

Beast Boy sat up and hunched his shoulders. "What do you mean." He grumbled.

"Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talkin' about." Cyborg softened his tone. "I know you BB. Why are you so afraid? It's not like you to fear rejection."

"It's different with her." Beast Boy's ears lowered.

Cyborg sighed and tapped a key on a large keyboard beside him. "Lie down. I'm going to run some tests."

Beast Boy laid back down on the flat, metal table, grateful for the subject change. "I'll tell her one day, Cy."

"If you don't, you'll regret it forever." Cyborg foretold.

Beast Boy swallowed around the lump in his throat.

-Beast Boy End-

••••••••

Aqualad jumped out of the water and reached his hands down below the water's surface. Raven took both of his hands and he pulled her up and out of the water easily. Her feet landed on rocky land and she scanned the ordinary cave surrounding them. "This is where she is?" _I thought a temple would be a little more…fancy._

Aqualad laughed. "This isn't the temple. It's down this hallway and on the right. You'll know it when you see it."

"Wait, you aren't coming with me?" Raven snapped her head towards him.

He smiled apologetically. "I can't. Men aren't allowed in her temple. I'm pushing it just being this close. Here," He pressed his thumb to her forehead. "this will let them know you're a friend of Atlantis."

He removed his thumb and Raven lightly touched the spot with her fingertips. "Will you be here when I'm done?"

Aqualad smiled and nodded. "Of course."

Raven took a deep breath. "Wish me luck."

"You'll be fine." Aqualad promised.

Raven nodded. "Alright. Here I go." She took several cautious steps towards the darkness before her and glanced over her shoulder to see Aqualad still standing there, watching her intently.

Feeling more confident, she pressed on further down the cavern hallway until she saw shimmering light. She neared closer and saw a huge hole in the wall that lead to an enormous room with a white domed roof. A platform stood in the middle of a small pond with a variety of aquatic plant life. _This is more like it,_ Raven thought.

A nymph poked her head from the water. "You bear the sign of Aquaman." She stated.

Raven nodded. "I'd like to see the-"

The nymph urged Raven forward, cutting her off. Raven stared down, horror leaking into her expression. "I can't…the water."

Still, the nymph persisted and Raven tentatively slid one foot out towards the water. However, as her heel touched down on the surface of the still water, a lily pad sprouted beneath her feet. Raven blinked back her confusion and took one step forward. Another tiny lily pad sprang to life just beneath her foot.

Raven lifted her head to the giggling nymph who waved her hand, gesturing for Raven to follow. Timidly at first, Raven did so, the lily pad steps allowing her to stay afloat.

The nymph guided Raven to a pure white set of stairs that rose out of the water. The area was breathtaking. Aquatic plants sprang out of the clear blue water and colorful vegetation clung to the high domed white walls of the temple. The top of the temple reached high above Raven's head.

As Raven neared the marble steps, the lily pad grew to an enormous size and the nymph motioned for Raven to sit. As Raven did so obediently, she followed the few stairs with her eyes. A white platform spread out at the top of the stairs. White curtains hung from the impossibly high ceiling, a white light seeming to shine from behind them that illuminated the entire room.

The see-through curtains billowed with a breeze that came out of no where. A blue hand slithered out from the break in the two long curtains and parted them elegantly. A woman stepped forth and Raven asked, "Are you the Lady of the Lake?"

The woman's head bobbed. "I am." Her voice rippled out like disturbed water. It was smooth and silky; quiet yet clear as a bell.

The Lady's entire body was a shade of robin's egg blue. Her entire eyes were white, not even a pupil darkened the pristine whiteness. Snow white hair tumbled freely down the Lady's back.

Two straps of white cloth ran down her shoulders and breasts, converging near her belly button. On her hips were two white shells that secured the long piece of white cloth to her revealing bathing suit-like outfit. One corner of a long shawl was clasped to her right shoulder and draped across to her other shoulder. The cloth hung down her left arm and a crystal crown circled around her head.

Her bare blue feet dipped into the water as she descended the first step from the marble platform.

Raven shifted on the lily pad as the Lady stared hard at her, her facial expression revealing nothing. A soft scrapping sound mingled with the sounds of the gentle water in the temple as the cloth hanging behind her brushed over the marble.

Raven opened her mouth to introduce herself but the Lady interrupted. "I know who you are, Raven of the Teen Titans, and I know why you are here."

Raven swallowed back her questions, allowing the Lady of the Lake to continue. "You may call me Vivienne Inwundu, if it pleases you."

Vivienne stopped knee-deep in the water. She slid her hands beneath the clear water's surface and cupped the refreshing liquid in her palms. "I know of your fear for water."

Raven hoped the fear didn't reach her voice as she spoke, "Do you know of a way to cure it?"

The mystic woman nodded elegantly. "I do."

When she didn't go on, Raven whispered, "Could you help me?"

"_I_ cannot." The blue woman's hands swayed gracefully in the water. "You're hydrophobia will disappear on its own. There is nothing either I nor you can do.

Defeat slammed into Raven like an icy fist. Seeing her crushed expression, Vivienne added, "Don't look so disheartened, child."

The Lady smiled and Raven felt instant calm sweep into her body. "I may be able to aid you in another one of your struggles."

Stunned, Raven could only stammer out one word, "Really?"

Vivienne's head regally bobbed. "There is great turmoil in the Natural World."

"Natural World?" Raven asked breathlessly.

"Everything has life, child." The Lady murmured, "Every blade of grass, every tiny ember, every drop of water and every gust of wind. It all _lives_- just like we do."

The Lady chuckled as she took in Raven's expression. "I see I've lost you. Would you like to hear a story? I assure you, you will have time and the information will be invaluable if you choose to use it."

Raven nodded, giving the Lady unneeded permission to go on. The Lady pointed a finger to Raven and tapped it against the empath's forehead. Raven's vision swirled like water going down a drain and she gasped loudly.

"Fear not." The Lady's voice broke through as if she were inside Raven's mind.

Raven glanced around; she was underwater but she was breathing in oxygen as if she were above water. Bubbles drifted up around her and sea plants swayed with the water's currents. She stood on her feet now but, it appeared, she did so on invisible ground because when she looked down, she saw nothing but the dark waters below.

_Where am I? _Raven's own voice echoed around as if she were speaking into a cave.

"I wish to show as well as tell." The Lady replied. "This is Atlantis as you know it."

The golden city suddenly shimmered into Raven's vision just as it had looked when she first saw it.

"However, this was Atlantis, many many years ago." As the Lady spoke, the water drained away and Atlantis sat perched on dry land, the sun beaming down on its regal structures.

_So, Atlantis really was just a regular city? _Raven asked

"Atlantis did use to dwell above land but it was far from regular." Vivienne replied, her silky voice seeming to guide the story before Raven.

A bare-chested man appeared as Atlantis disappeared behind him into darkness, his long auburn hair tied in an unusual way. He wore a white loincloth that hung just past his knees. He wore gold braces on his wrists and ankles. His bright eyes seemed to look right through Raven.

"Calculha." The Lady whispered, answering Raven's unasked question. "He is one of the great mages of Atlantis."

From the darkness, another figure came to life beside Calculha- a woman. She wore an Egyptian-like headdress with black and red stripes. She had olive-colored skin and a beautifully angular face.

Gold armlets encircled her upper arms, wrists and ankles. A white skirt hung loosely around her hips, a wide slit up the front. A thin black strip of cloth-covered her well developed chest and dark kohl circled her eyes. "Her name is Majistra. She is Calculha's equal in sorcery." the Lady informed.

Majistra thrust her hands forward, her fingers splaying out. Black electricity burst forth from her hands just as white light erupted from the man's hands.

"Both lived almost 100,000 years before the first great Ice Age." Vivienne explained. "Calculha followed in the light while Majistra practiced the dark arts. However, they felt drawn to one another and thus decided to study together."

As the Lady spoke, Calculha and Majistra stood facing each other before lifting their hands above their heads.

"Both mages managed to tap into the primordial magic energy of the Earth. However, the power was too raw and unmanageable. Seeking a way to contain the elemental powers of Earth and use it for the benefit of Atlantis, they created twelve crystal statuettes."

Above the two mages' heads, symbols began to form. Each one came to life as Vivienne spoke their name. "Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpius, Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius, Pisces."

_The signs of the Zodiac?_

"Indeed." The Lady pressed on. "Through these crystals, they were able to channel and amplify the Earth's mystical energy. Atlantis prospered and Majistra gave birth to twins sired by Calculha."

Beside his father, a young man appeared. He had auburn curls that framed his teenage face and fairly tanned skin - a nice blend of his parents' colors. His green eyes sparkled just like his father's. His lithe body was clothed in blue attire much like his mother's except his muscled chest was completely bare.

"Ahri'ahn." Vivienne introduced. "He was raised by his father to follow in the path of the light and the Lords of Order."

Beside his mother, another young man formed, however, his appearance drastically differed from his family.

"Garn Daanuth." Vivienne's voice lowered as she spoke of the second boy. "He was raised by his mother to tread down the path of darkness and become an acolyte of the Lords of Chaos."

Garn Daanuth had pale white skin, white eyes, and stark white hair. A red, toga-like outfit was draped across his beefy body. His facial expression was stern as he placed his fists on his hips and glowered across the void at his twin.

Calculha and Majistra dissolved into the darkness as their children grew into men before Raven's eyes. "Majistra descended into madness. Calculha exiled himself to the Dark World. He sacrificed himself to stop Majistra's insanity."

Vivienne's story continued. "The brother's fought tirelessly, each trying to maintain or destroy the balance of power. During the first great Ice Age, Ahri'ahn collected the twelve crystals his parents had created together and buried them within secret locations all across the continent."

The Lady of the Lake's enchanting voice carried on as the old Atlantis appeared once more before Raven. "The world succumbed to several catastrophes that eventually became known as the Great Cataclysm – an event that ultimately caused Atlantis to sink beneath the waves."

As she spoke, the city sank low, waves splashing up from the cracks in the Earth. Screams of terror rang out as the Ocean claimed Atlantis. Raven wanted to snap her eyes shut but she forced them to remain open as Vivienne told her story.

"Millions of Atlanteans died and, with them, the known whereabouts of the Zodiac Crystals died as well."

_Did Garn Daanuth do this? _Raven asked, nodding her head towards the sunken city.

Vivienne answered Raven's question with a question. "Do you think him evil, child?"

_He fought for evil, right? Then, yes, he's evil._

"Does dark necessarily mean evil?" Vivienne quipped.

As Raven bowed her head, the Lady added, "In many ways, Garn Daanuth was very much like yourself."

Raven's head snapped up. _How?_

"His powers included astral projection, flight, mind control, and energy projection."

Atlantis vanished and was replaced with Garn Daanuth standing, facing Raven in the black void once more. Beside him, a replica of Raven shimmered to life. Raven held her breath as her and Garn moved in sync.

Both lifted their arms and black energy swarmed around their hands. "Energy projection."

Then a black exact copy of the two visions rose from their bodies. "Astral projection."

Raven and Garn rose off of their feet, flying through the black nothingness. "Flight."

"And mind-"

_I don't control people's minds, _Raven snapped.

Silence fell and Raven gasped. _Forgive me, I didn't mean to offend-_

"I am not offended. Garn Daanuth could manipulate minds. You can manipulate feelings." Vivienne furthered the comparison. "Both had parentage that controlled them."

_My father doesn't control me. _Raven whispered meekly.

"You choose to fight him, child. But he does not go away. Garn Daanuth chose not to fight his mother's influence and that is what separates you."

When Raven did not reply, Vivienne whispered, "I did not wish to show you this story to hurt you or even, really, to speak of Garn Daanuth. He played a minor role in the story I wished to tell you but a vital one at that. After Atlantis fell, so did interest in the Zodiac Crystals as science had trumped sorcery in this era."

Once more, Raven's surroundings swirled sickeningly. She shut her eyes tight, moaning as her stomach churned.

"Open your eyes, sweet child." Vivienne cooed.

Raven's eyes opened and she found herself in the temple. The Lady stood before her just as she had before. Raven's legs ached as if she had been sitting in the same position for days. She shifted so she could stretch out her numb extremities as she asked, "What does this have to do with my 'struggles'?"

Vivienne's lips parted, revealing a mouth full of pearly white teeth. She lifted a white flower from the water and stroked its delicate petals. "Your enemies are tilting the balance of nature."

Raven's body jolted. "Could you explain?"

"Certainly." Vivienne placed the flower back in the water and it lazily floated away. "Powers, whether one believes it or not, are linked to nature. Nature gave us all powers whether through accident or genetics."

"You know about genes?" Raven covered her mouth as if she could snatch the words back.

Vivienne smiled playfully. "I may be a mystical being but I do understand the structure of physiology and DNA. More so, than I think you know."

Raven smiled weakly. "You were saying?"

Vivienne nodded. " Nature, life forces of all beings, and powers are all linked indefinitely. When the elements of Nature are imbalanced, so is the entire world. Powers are failing and life forces are winking out that should have thrived for several more years. Simply put: the word is in chaos."

Vivienne's eyes pierced straight through Raven. "Your powers and emotions are linked. When your powers were thrown off, so were your emotions. Just as randomly as when your powers stop, an individual emotion will come forth without your control."

"Can we stop it?" Raven asked, hoping for a positive answer.

The Lady of the Lake nodded. "Absolutely. It can be rectified with the help of just four of the twelve Zodiac Crystals."

"But no one even knows where they are?" Raven argued, defeat already clogging her airways.

"Relax, child." Vivienne whispered as her nymphs swam to her side. Vivienne brushed back the sopping wet hair of one and, as she stared into the nymph's face, she spoke to Raven. "I know of the locations of two statuettes."

Raven inhaled sharply. "Would you be willing to tell me? I'll do anything."

Vivienne turned to Raven, a look of confusion contorting her face. "I expect no payment for my information."

"T-then you'll tell me?" Raven stammered, her heart thudding in her chest.

The blue woman nodded. "Of course, child."

"But first..." Vivienne turned around and climbed up the marble stairs. Her hands fluttered and a shimmering figure puffed to life before her. "I can only help you with two of the four statues you need."

Between her hands was a glowing red statue in the shape of the Zodiac symbol for Leo - the lion constellation. "This statue holds the powers of Fire."

Again, her hands flew in a distinct pattern and a new symbol appeared beside the first. The symbol for Pisces - the circling fish - shone with a pale blue color. "Pisces controls the power of Water."

"I only know of the Water and Fire's locations and they are steeped in folklore." Vivienne explained. "But I know someone who may be able to help with the Fire statue. His name is Cedric. He may be able to tell you where to locate the Water statue as well or point you in the right direction."

"Where can I find him?" Raven asked breathlessly.

"My nymph will act as a guide for you." Vivienne motioned to the water and a woman climbed out of the water, a shimmering blue fabric covering her lithe body.

The nymph stepped beside Raven, her long blonde hair slipping over her shoulder as she bowed low to Raven "I am Naia, Milady."

"Naia will be able to show you where Cedric is. Do not become hasty, young one. To go with the two statues I have shown you, you will need both an Air statue and an Earth statue." Vivienne smiled kindly at Raven.

Raven nodded. "Thank you. But what do we do once we have them?"

"Bring them to me." Vivienne's hand sliced through the shimmering statues hovering before her and they vanished. "It is time for you to leave, young one. Your friends are waiting."

Raven stood and turned her back to the Lady of the Lake. She placed one foot onto the surface of the water and as the lily pad sprouted beneath her foot to carry her across the pond, Raven looked over her shoulder and spoke with pure honesty and gratitude, "Thank you, Vivienne. Thank you so much."

The blue woman nodded, the corners of her mouth turning upwards in a smile. "Thank you for listening, Raven. It has been quite a while since I have had such a splendid guest."

* * *

**I love making myths but this one _wasn't_ mine. It's the actual history of Atlantis :) I swear XD Hope you enjoyed! Leave a review!** _-Anii_


	15. Chapter 15

**A guest commented a while back that Raven seemed punk-ish.**

**In the comics, she's actually like that.**

**She's sassy, sarcastic, and withdrawn but in a punk kind of way.**

**She actually got a tramp stamp tattoo of a raven lol**

**Terra's punk-ish in the show but I don't know about the comics.**

**I added this in the beginning as well since it isn't very clear, ****but**

**three years have passed since Trouble in Tokyo.**

**Gets a little steamy in this chapter xD You've been warned.**

**There's a strip club too.**

**You can skip down to the bottom and I'll give you**

**a summary of the chapter if you don't want to read it.**

**I don't want any of you to feel uncomfortable ^^;**

_-Anii_

* * *

**Chapter 15: "I know that I can find the fire in your eyes."**

**― Breath by Breaking Benjamin**

The Titans sat in silence as Raven relayed her story. The nymph, Naia, poked and prodded at the Titans, her curiosity growing every second. She was like a little puppy getting into everything. She already tried to shove her head in the toilet earlier.

Robin pushed himself away from the enormous marble counter and uncrossed his arms. "So the phobia should go away on its own?"

Raven shrugged. "That's what she said."

"What about these statute things?" Cyborg asked. "Should we trust her?"

Raven nodded. "I trust her without a doubt."

"Lady can not lie." Naia whispered breathlessly before throwing herself at Beast Boy, who sat on the edge of a medical table, and bursting into a fit of giggles.

Raven bit down her sudden annoyance and closed her eyes. "Naia should know where this Cedric guy is. He'll help us."

"This doesn't make sense. There's a bad guy out there, why aren't we fighting him?" Beast Boy asked, trying to hold Naia back at arm's length without hurting her.

"Even if we killed the bad guy…things wouldn't go back to normal. The person already threw Nature out of balance. The damage is already done." Raven informed, opening her eyes slowly. "This time, if we want to save the world and ourselves, we've got to arrest the bad guys and get the statues."

"Raven's right." Robin sighed. "This is going to be a lot more work though."

"What if we got some of the other Titans to help? We could find this Cedric guy and take his information and give it to the others. Then we could focus on capturing the bad guys while they work on restoring the balance." Cyborg offered.

Robin cracked a smile. "That's perfect."

Cyborg did a shrug as if it were nothing but the pride was all over his face.

"Alright, we've got some calls to make." Robin yanked out his communicator. "We'll use the Call Room. We'll call three Titans with our communicator's and then those three will call three more until we have everyone up on individual screens."

Raven and Beast Boy moved to follow the team as they moved to one of Batman's high-tech room's but Robin held up a hand and pointed a finger for them to sit back down. "You need to talk to Naia and figure out what she knows." He said to Raven.

He turned his words towards Beast Boy, "And you need to rest. Or have you forgotten about your concussion?"

"But Cyborg got hit just as hard." Beast Boy pouted.

"He's also a mechanical man." Robin shot back before walking into the Call Room and closing the door.

"Yeah well, I'm not exactly normal either." Beast Boy grumbled. "I can handle a concussion."

"Don't whine." Raven teased, trying to calm down the curious nymph wandering around the room.

"I'm not whining." Beast Boy insisted, his head falling in his hands.

Raven felt a tug in her stomach and the cords of her muscles tightened. Raven's eyes slowly widened as she realized what was happening. _No. Not now. Oh god, which one is it going to be this time?_

She didn't have to wait for long. The emotion took control of her body, making Raven straighten her back. She ignored Naia completely, who was busy tugging at a bundle of cords plugged into an outlet. Raven's fingers quickly unlatched the brooch holding her cape and it dropped to the floor with a soft _thud_.

Beast Boy's head shot up. "You okay, Raven?"

Raven's mind frantically worked to stop the emotion. She could feel what it was easily as it ordered her body to move elegantly yet with a purpose. Raven screamed loudly, begging the emotion to stop. Rage and sudden Bravery held nothing to the current emotion controlling Raven. It was stronger. Raven couldn't speak and even holding control of her mind was difficult to do.

She felt embarrassed even admitting that Lust was one of her emotions but there wasn't any time to worry about that. Right now, Raven's body was inching closer and closer to Beast Boy, who just sat on the edge of the table with a look of confusion on his face. "_Don't touch him!" _Raven shrieked.

_I'm not, dear Raven. _Lust cooed.

"_Seriously! Stop! I don't want this!" _Raven was nearing a mental breakdown as Lust stood just before Beast Boy.

Lust made a snort of laughter before saying, _Oh, please. Raven, I'm a part of you. Don't try to play games with me._

Lust used Raven's hand to brush fingers against Beast Boy's cheek. The changeling's face lit up with a blush and he adverted his gaze. "Raven, what are you doing?"

"_Oh my god, stop! He's going to hate me!"_

_Isn't understanding a person's body my area of expertise. You've always been clueless about Love. Especially with this one. _Lust chuckled as she bent down towards Beast Boy.

"_You aren't Love! You're Lust." Raven argued_

_Wrong. I'm both. Did you notice I waited until all the others left? Lust pointed out._

"_Naia's still here." _Raven stated meekly.

Lust lifted a single eyebrow. _She's nibbling on wire. _Lust's gaze lingered on Beast Boy's lips_. I'd like to nibble on something too._

"_I can't believe this is happening." Raven fought valiantly for control of her body. "I still don't get it. You can't be both." She said, hoping to distract the dominant emotion._

_Can't you feel lust for someone you love? _Lust asked.

Raven opened her mouth to protest but Lust chuckled. _I told you, Raven, you can't hide anything from me. I am you. I am Love. I know that side of you better than you do. If you're going to deny me and let this little bird go, I'm going to step in. It's for the best._

"_No! Please stop!" _Raven's mind fumed as Lust slid a finger under Beast Boy's chin.

Raven could see her own face in Beast Boy's wide eyes. The expression on her face disgusted her. Lust used Raven's own voice against her. "Beast Boy." She whispered, a longing in her voice that Raven had never heard before.

Beast Boy swallowed hard and tried to look anywhere but at her. Lust would have none of that. She slid her fingers into Beast Boy's hair and pressed her body against his, her lips finding his easily.

Raven howled loudly but the sound only bounced around her skull. Lust's victorious chuckle was like a slap in the face. She forced every sensation at Raven, making her feel the texture of Beast Boy's hair and the feel of his soft lips against her own. Raven's heart rate rose and the kissing between the two became more frantic.

"_Make it stop." _Raven begged, even her mind beginning to rebel against her.

_Can't you see how much your body longed for this, Raven? _Lust asked as Beast Boy's hands clasped around her waist, pulling Raven's body tightly to his.

"_You're making it seem like that." _Raven argued weakly, her control fading.

Lust sighed. _When will you stop lying to me, Raven? To yourself?_

"_I'm not lying." _Raven insisted but the words felt like a lie the moment she spoke them.

Lust eased up slightly on her control of Raven's body. Don't get upset, dear Raven. I'm doing this for our own good.

"You're going to destroy my friendship with him." Raven whispered, making her fingers twitch the slightest.

_You don't want a friendship and neither does he. So why are you both forcing yourselves to have one? Enjoy this Raven._

Raven removed her hands from Beast Boy and placed them on his chest. She used the slight control to try and bat away Lust. The emotion grew upset and immediately snatched away the tiny about of control Raven had. _Fine. If you won't listen to me, then I'll just have to show you everything you've wanted._

"No." Raven begged.

_If you can't take care of yourself, Raven. Then we'll do it. _Lust murmured firmly.

Beast Boy pulled his mouth away and stared down at her. "Are you alright?"

Raven responded by pressing her lips to his neck. She gently bit the flesh there and Beast Boy's body reacted with a violent shudder.

"_I'm so sorry, Beast Boy." _Raven whispered miserably, her control of her mind fading entirely.

Raven was completely absorbed by Lust. Every nerve in her body thrummed with sensation as Raven's hands scoured Beast Boy's torso, relishing the feeling of the hard muscles there. He smelled like sweat which Lust only seemed to enjoy all the more. Her hands slid to his back and her palms slid across the hard, shifting muscles there as well.

Lust kissed up Beast Boy's neck and planted a final, light kiss just under his chin, making his head tilt back. Raven could feel him trembling against her but she didn't care anymore, she was too wrapped up in the sensation of his body. She was pressed so tightly to him she could feel his raging heart against her chest, as if the pulsing were her own.

His forehead fell gently against hers and he cupped her cheek in his palm. "I know this isn't you." He forced out, his breathing shallow and his voice hoarse with lust.

"What are you talking about. Of course it's me." Lust responded.

Beast Boy shook his head. "It's not. It's your emotions going haywire again."

Lust didn't like the fact that he'd caught on one bit. "So what? My emotions are still me."

Beast Boy nodded. "I know. But when you come out, Raven looses control. This isn't what she wants."

"You're both stupid." Tears stung Raven's eyes. "You don't understand a thing."

Raven felt a blast of cold air slap her and she inhaled loudly and sharply as Lust relinquished control and hid deep inside Raven. Raven pressed a hand to her heart, gasping for breath. Beast Boy held her upright, patiently waiting although his face was full of regret.

Tears spilled down Raven's cheek as she shook her head from side to side. "I'm so sorry."

Naia's little teeth finally managed to chew through the thick binding around the cords and her hair flew out as the electricity zapped her. Raven rushed to Naia's side on wobbly legs, scooped up her cloak, and lifted the nymph onto her bare feet. "Show me where Cedric is, please."

Naia nodded, dropping the cords and casting them a severe glance. Raven didn't look back as Beast Boy called out her name. "Stay there. I'll be back soon."

"No. You shouldn't go out alone." Beast Boy insisted.

"I'll be fine." Raven heard Beast Boy slid off of the table and winced. "Don't move!"

Raven's fingers tightened around Naia's wrist as she dragged the nymph out of the room.

••••••••

Raven hauled Naia out of a trash can and pressed a finger to her lips. "Sh."

Naia mimicked the motion and nodded. She ran down a narrow alley and emerged on the other side of the street. She threw her head from side to side and made a small gasp of delight as she found the place she was looking for.

Naia danced over to the strip club's entrance where a big man stood in a tight black t-shirt and black fitted jeans. The man crossed his arms over his chest as Raven and Naia approached. Raven tried to drag the nymph away but the bouncer just moved aside to allow them entrance.

The people waiting in line groaned and cursed at Raven and Naia, who raced inside before Raven could stop her. Raven shuddered as she stepped inside and heard the loud sadistic music blasting. The smell of sex, alcohol, and drugs clogged Raven's airways as she opened the inner door to the strip club called "Freak on a Leash."

Girls stood on a stage, red light beaming down on them in their tight, revealing, leather outfits and high-heeled leather boots. One girl flicked her wrist and a whip cracked. Raven winced and scanned the area for Naia. She found the nymph easily as she clambered up on stage.

The men in the crowd hooted disgustingly as Naia stood beside the stripper with the whip. The stripper didn't miss a beat and she tore Naia's thin clothing right down the middle.

"Oh no you don't!" Raven shouted over the loud music as she yanked down Naia from the stage.

Several drunk men hissed profanities at her but the next round of entertainment came out and their attention went elsewhere. "Naia." Raven made the nymph look at her. "Where is Cedric?"

Naia pointed towards a lit up booth with an excellent view of the stage. Raven weaseled her way between the crowd to get a better look at the greasy man in the booth and pressed her lips to the shell of Naia's ear. "Can you get him to go to the back room over there? Discreetly?"

Naia nodded enthusiastically and snaked her way to Cedric. The security guard let her pass without much fuss and Naia climbed the few stairs and slid in beside Cedric. She leaned over and whispered into his ear. Cedric's eyes lit up and his lips twisted in a sneer.

He stood, much to the distaste of the other women seated at the booth, and followed Naia to the back room Raven had pointed out. Raven quietly follows after them and hears Naia's giggle as she approaches the doorway. Raven slipped inside and slams the man against the wall.

His eyes nearly popped out of his skull and his face turned an ugly shade of red. "W-who are you?"

"Raven." Naia's gentle hands touched Raven's arm. "We do not need to interrogate him. He will help us."

"I will." The man bobbed his head rapidly.

Raven released him and Cedric pressed a hand to his heart. "You're looking for the Leo Statue?"

Raven nodded. "Can you help us?"

Cedric took in a deep breath but agreed easily. "Follow me."

Cedric shoved a meaty finger against a red button and a section of the wall lifted with a mechanical whir. "Ladies first."

Raven's instincts were screaming that this guy was no good but Naia ran through the pitch black doorway, laughing gleefully. Raven chased after her. "Naia, stop! I don't trust this guy-"

Something hard slammed down on a pressure point in Raven's neck and her consciousness winked out.

••••••••

Voices drifted through the thick fog clouding Raven's mind.

"I brought her to you, just like you asked. I even caught you a little nymph." Even though her mind was foggy, she recognized Cedric's disgusting voice.

"The nymph is of no use to me." A gruff tenor voice stated.

"But-"

"You can have the nymph for your own personal use." The mystery man interrupted

"Oh! Thank you, Your Highness. May Trigon bless you."

_Trigon. _The name of her father dashed away the fog immediately.

"Because of what you have done today, he will." The tenor replied, a smirk clear in his voice.

Raven lifted a hand to her aching head to her the clang of metal chains.

"She's coming to." Cedric whispered, a note of alarm present in his voice.

"Be afraid you little weasel." Raven grumbled as she forced herself to sit up. "I'm going to rip your freaking head off when I-"

Raven's words died on her lips as she saw Naia sprawled out, facedown, on the ground beside her. Her beautiful hair splayed out and she didn't move even when Raven called her name.

"Naia!" Raven called more forcefully, her teeth grinding together. Her head snapped to the side and she glared at Cedric. "I won't let you take her."

"Now, now." The tenor tsked.

As he stepped closer to Raven she held her breath. He reeked of the coppery tang of blood as if he wore the scent as cologne. That, however, wasn't what really startled her. The mystery male was surprisingly short. He might actually be Raven's height. In fact, he didn't look that old.

He was barely a teenager. Raven's nose scrunched as he bent down so he was at her eye level. Yet another strange feature of the boy was that he was albino. His eyes shone red yet his hair and skin were white as snow. His lips parted and Raven spotted the sharpened incisors in his mouth.

Raven jerked back as he stretched his hand towards her but he moved fast, capturing her face by grabbing her jaw roughly. "Don't be so harsh with me, Raven."

"How do you know my name?" Raven hissed.

"You're my fiancée. How could I not?"

Raven choked back nervous laughter. "Your what? Look kid, I'm no one's-"

He slammed his lips against hers, cutting off her words. Raven fought to move, her lips remaining closed even as the boy's tongue brushed against her bottom lip. She managed to jerk her head to the side and the boy pulled away slightly.

"Who the hell are you?" She wheezed.

"That's hurtful, Raven." He feigned an expression of hurt. "My name is Sebastian."

* * *

**I am on a ROLL! I've already written up to Chapter 17 so far xD It's all subject to change but I'm so far ahead! It's great lol xD**

**Should this story be updated to an M rating? lol ^^; Oops**

**Summary:**

**Raven tells everyone about what the Lady of the Lake told her and Robin and the gang leave the room to call the other Titans.**

**Basically, Lust took over Raven and she made out with Beast Boy. He stopped her, saying that he knew it wasn't her. She leaves with Naia and goes to find Cedric, who's at a strip club. Cedric says he'll help her but instead, hands her and Naia over to Sebastian. You'll find out who he is later on. Hope this helped! **_-Anii_


	16. Chapter 16

**It's really disturbing to write about a 14-year-old nut job ._.**

**The writers of the comic did that on purpose but still…**

**Sebastian has a cool name though. I'll give him that.**

**Just for those of you who don't read the comics,**

**Sebastian is a vampire sort of.**

**I don't know about the whole sunlight thing or things like that but**

**He has superhuman strength, immortality, etc.**

_-Anii_

* * *

**Chapter 16: "I want to eat your heart."**

_**― Kill Everybody by Skrillex**_

Raven's body was considerably weakened as if out of no where. Sleep only seemed to make it worse. The room she was kept in was dark but the dark didn't bother her. It was the heat that did. The entire room was so hot, sweat trickled in beads down Raven's face and made her leotard cling to her uncomfortably. She squirmed in her little corner, trying to pry the drenched fabric from her skin.

There was never a cool breeze or a drink of water to soothe her. It felt like ages had passed but she knew it had only been an hour or so. Naia, Cedric, and Sebastian were gone and Raven felt entirely miserable. She probably ruined the poor nymph's life and now she was caught by some whacked out little kid. Raven could feel the undulating wave of her father's presence all around her, which only added to her agitation.

Raven attempted to meditate and reach her mother but her powers failed her completely. Tears welled in her eyes. _Don't fail me now. Not now. Please not now._

Frustrated, she slammed her fist against the black wall and hugged her knees to her chest. Several long minutes passed by before her cell door was opened and Sebastian strode through. He was wearing fancy religious garb along with a ceremonial helmet of sorts and he held out a black gloved hand to Raven. "Are you ready?"

"For what?" Raven rasped, an edge to her voice that seemed to piss Sebastian off.

He knelt down, pressing her into the wall, and kissed her again. Raven tried to move her head but he captured her skull between his hands. For a young teenager, he was ridiculously strong.

Sebastian's lips suddenly stopped moving against Raven's and he pulled away, his head bowing and his teeth clenched tightly. "Did you know that I can taste the other man on your lips?"

Raven forced her thoughts away from Beast Boy as she felt Sebastian probe her mind. She stared at him blankly and he backhanded her. _Hard._

Her dry lips cracked from the force and stars blinded her momentarily. Sebastian grabbed her by her shoulders and hauled her up to her feet. Raven slammed her fist into Sebastian's chin, making him stumble back a few steps. The action drained Raven of every ounce of energy she had and she collapsed onto the floor.

Sebastian knelt beside her once more and brushed the hair out of her face. "You're such a fighter. Just like your father."

"Shut up." Raven panted.

Sebastian seemed unfazed by her outburst. "I wasn't surprised when I heard that you had killed my uncle."

"Your…uncle?" An image of the man on the rooftops, who Raven had killed, flashed before her eyes. One look at Sebastian told her that he had sent the image into her mind.

"Why did you send him after me?" Raven kept the tears at bay.

"So I could make you mine." Sebastian said simply, his incredible strength showing once again as he lifted her effortlessly from the ground and into his arms.

Her head fell against his chest and Raven could hear the pulsing of his heart. "Disgusting."

Sebastian chuckled, amused by her hatred of him. "Did you know that we are destined to bring about Armageddon through our union?"

"I'm always bring about the end of the world." Raven grumbled.

Sebastian pressed his cheek to her head, smiling sadistically. "That's why I love you, Raven."

"Stop touching me you prepubescent little sadist." Raven snarled, her anger rising steadily as her panic escalated.

"Is that what worries you, darling?" Sebastian carried her to another, larger room.

Rows of pews sprawled out in front of her, a narrow pathway down the middle of them. A white marble staircase towered above the parishioners sitting in the wooden pews and at the top of the platform was a gigantic disk with ancient and indecipherable carvings etched all round it. Two columns stood to either side of the disk, twin flames casting flickering shadows across the circular object's surface.

Sebastian carried Raven down the aisle, his boots clicking against the smooth marble. Pale faces turned to watch Raven with wicked grins, which made her squirm in Sebastian's arms. The conglomeration of people heightened her fear and she shrank inside herself and as Sebastian reached the stairs. Her fingers gripped his shirt tightly as a lump formed in her throat. "Stop." She protested meekly.

She tried to claw her way over his shoulder and out of his grip but he only held on to her tighter. He crushed her to his chest until she thought she heard her bones creak. "Raven, are you getting cold feet?"

Raven thrashed in his arms and he dropped her. She sunk to the ground and the breath in her lungs was knocked free as the sharp edges of the stairs bit into her body - she didn't think he'd actually let her go. She tried to stand and failed. The surrounding people watched as Raven helplessly crawled higher up the stairs.

Sebastian chuckled behind her. "She's just so eager."

"Eager my ass." Raven muttered, focusing intently on reaching the platform at the top.

Her vision blurred as sweat dripped in her eyes. Her limbs shook violently as her muscles strained to lug her body up the staircase. Sebastian hauled her to her feet and, when her legs gave out, he crushed her to his chest.

"Let me go." Raven whispered miserably, all of her strength fleeing her body.

Raven's world darkened and fluttered back several times, Sebastian filling her vision each time until she finally blacked out. When she came to, her body was propped up so that she was leaning against Sebastian's leg, her head on his thigh.

Although her mind was awake, her limbs were not. She couldn't move. She felt disgusted as Sebastian's followers stared at him with admiration and love as he preached about the greatness of Trigon. He promised to cleanse the world, to which his followers cheered enthusiastically.

Sebastian lifted Raven from her sitting position and held her upright. He moved her head so she was forced to look at him and he grinned into her face. "Raven will help me."

"Such a pure being." Sebastian said to her, as if whispering sweet nothings into her ear. "Second only to Trigon himself. Even more perfect than your brothers."

"Brothers?" Raven managed to force out.

Sebastian grinned. "Later, my love." He turned back to his people. "Through her, we will create a world where our lord lives and rules! Just as he does in all of our hearts!"

_I'm going to puke. _Raven thought with hatred as Sebastian threw her to the floor.

Raven thought he would leave her there on the cold marble but she felt his fingers tangle in her hair. He forced her head back and she saw the gleam of a knife. Raven ground her teeth together, waiting for the death-blow. It never came, however. The knife missed her skin completely and sliced through thick strands of her hair. Sebastian hacked away at the violet locks, all eyes riveted to his devious hands.

Raven tried to leap away from him but her legs couldn't carry her. She stumbled and her jaw cracked down on the edge of the marble step. Stars and pain exploded in her skull as her teeth collided against one another. Her father laughed in her ear and Raven hissed, defiance and adrenaline rushing through her veins. She heard footsteps and she pushed herself off of the marble to see Robin charging down the aisle, Starfire and Cyborg right at his sides.

Raven nearly cried out as hope filled her chest. She reached out a hand to grab Robin's hand but Sebastian intervened. He yanked Raven back, pointing the tip of the blade at her neck.

"Has the prince come to rescue his princess?" Sebastian taunted.

Robin smirked just before Raven heard a familiar voice call out from overhead, "Well, I wouldn't call myself a prince but…"

Raven crouched down out of Sebastian's grasp and somersaulted away, the knife nicking her throat in the process, as Beast Boy dropped from the ceiling and landed on Sebastian as a hairy, green gorilla. Beast Boy morphed out of his gorilla form and grabbed a fistful of Sebastian's white hair, "…the one here to rescue her, that'd actually be me."

Raven pressed her fingers to her throat to stop the bleeding as she stared at Beast Boy, shocked and amazed at the strength of the rage emanating from the changeling. He leapt off of Sebastian's back and rushed over to help her stand. Raven could hardly look him in the eye as memories from earlier flooded her mind. _Not the time, Raven!_ She chided herself.

Beast Boy held on to her loosely, just enough to steady her, and a blush painted his cheeks, meaning he was remembering earlier as well. Raven heard Starfire shriek and glanced over Beast Boy's shoulder to see Sebastian's hoard of minions racing to attack the other Titans. Raven gripped Beast Boy's shoulder to keep her balance and closed her eyes. "Don't move."

"But, Raven-"

She shushed him as her meditation began. Her lips moved rapidly, forming the familiar words of her chant. Something hard flew into her side, knocking her into the first row of pews. Sebastian grappled with Beast Boy, who was morphed into a bear.

Sebastian's followers reached their pale hands towards Beast Boy, who growled loudly in rage as he tried to free himself. He morphed into animal after animal but, still, the parishioners held him back. More followers grabbed Raven, holding her down as Sebastian approached. Raven bit her lip as his hand skated up her stomach and to her throat.

His fingers locked around her throat as he lowered his lips to her forehead. She thought he would kiss her forehead but then pain shot through her body, making her fingers and toes curl. Raven looked up through bleary eyes just as Sebastian pulled away and swallowed. Blood trickled between her eyebrows and down the side of her nose and Raven realized that he had bitten off her chakra gem.

She shuddered with disgust as Sebastian stood tall (as tall as he could) with a prideful grin on his face. "The marriage begun!"

Cries of joy rang out from the sadistic followers and Raven's eyes shot open wide. She struggled against her human bonds, thrashing wildly with all her might. "Stop! Let me go!"

Sebastian flicked his wrist and Raven was free. Not for long, however, because Sebastian scooped her up and crushed her to his chest. "We will create a perfect child, Raven."

Raven felt the bile in her throat and she clenched her teeth tightly. "You disgust me."

"Don't touch her!" Robin howled, fighting off the crazed humans as best he could without killing them.

He reached in his pocket and, with one swift motion, the surrounding area was clogged with thick smoke. Raven held her breath as best she could and felt Sebastian's arms leave her. She heard Robin's voice in her ear. "Can you-"

"I'll try." Raven interrupted, understanding him. "Just steady me."

Robin held on fast to Raven, who closed her eyes and began the chant again, her mind focusing on one thing. She heard Robin suck in his breath as the smoke dispersed. He yank her aside, probably dodging someone. Raven didn't care in that moment. Her heart was filled with grief as she realized that, without her chakra gem, she couldn't concentrate enough to draw out the kind of power she needed.

Her eyes fluttered open and she shook her head. "I can't."

Robin cursed softly and moved aside as one of Sebastian's followers lunged at him. Beast Boy slid by on his back, groaning in pain. "Jesus, that dude packs a punch."

Raven knelt beside Beast Boy, her head spinning as she did so. His eyes widened slightly and he reached a hand towards her forehead. His fingers didn't come near the wound but Raven still winced.

"Was that important?" Beast Boy whispered.

"Very." Raven replied, the tears welling in her eyes.

Beast Boy's face hardened. "Then I'll have to get it for you."

Raven blinked in confusion "What-" Beast Boy shot up and rushed at Sebastian, who batted the changeling aside easily.

Beast Boy swiped away a bead of blood trickling down the corner of his lip and lunged at Sebastian once again, this time morphing rapidly into several different animals to race up Sebastian's body. Then, he transformed into a roundworm.

"Beast Boy!" Raven shrieked as he threw himself in Sebastian's mouth.

Sebastian rushed at Raven, not seeming to care that he had just swallowed her friend. He lifted her up and tossed her over his shoulder, kicking aside Robin easily. Robin crashed into the mess of pews but quickly whipped out and launched a batarang at Sebastian.

The batarang knocked off Sebastian's helmet but did nothing to stop the crazed teenager. He punched a button and a section of the wall flipped up. He raced inside and hit another button which closed the door.

Raven heard Robin's voice, Cyborg's fists, and Starfire's bolts but even those faded as Sebastian carried her further into the tunnel structure. Raven's vision was dimming and she took in several deep breaths to try and keep her head above consciousness.

••••••••

-Robin-

Robin's fists banged against the secret passage door but to no avail. He moved aside just as a parishioner lunged at him. The pale man crashed into the wall and Robin shoved his knee against the man's spine as he yanked back his hair. "Where does this lead?!"

The man laughed, his eyes glowing with something that made Robin's stomach clench. The parishioner's mouth moved quickly and Robin realized he was praying. Robin shoved the man away, roaring in rage. He whipped out his bo and stuck a woman in the stomach who tried to attack him from behind. He swung his bo around, knocking aside the psychotic religious followers until he heard Starfire cry out.

Robin's head jerked to the side and her name tore from his throat. The parishioners had Starfire pinned to a slab of cold gray stone at the top of an altar to the side of the giant marble staircase. One brought out a knife and Robin felt his feet pound against the floor as he raced towards her. He threw his body at the man with the knife and the weapon tumbled to the floor, clattering loudly.

Raven grappled with the man, who was fighting him off rather impressively, until a loud _bang_ filled the room. Robin glanced up at the top of the staircase to find Cyborg standing by the circular disk, a thin tendril of smoke rising out of his sonic cannon arm. "Hey! Is this important?!" He jerked a thumb towards the disk.

The man Robin held gasped loudly. "Don't touch that!"

Cyborg slammed a fist against the ancient object and several cracks raced out from the dent his fist made. Cyborg punched the stone disk again and again, each time creating more cracks until the entire thing came crashing down with a blast of dust. A loud wail erupted from the throat's of the parishioners in unison and they collapsed to the ground as if dead.

Robin panted heavily and clambered off of the unconscious man to help Starfire off of the stone slab. Her green eyes were wide and her long fingers lightly touched her chest. Robin didn't hide an ounce of his relief. He crushed Starfire to his chest and buried his face in her shoulder. She pressed the palms of her hands against his back and he heard the smile in her voice. "I am alright, Robin. There is no need to worry."

Cyborg popped out of the rubble, coughing hysterically. "How long has it been since they fired the maid!? Ugh!" The metal man sneezed violently and climbed over the fragments of stone. Robin pulled away from Starfire reluctantly, his mouth pressed into a firm line.

"How do we save Raven and Beast Boy?" Starfire asked, worry creeping into her voice.

Robin took in the unmoving bodies around him and wiped the sweat from his brow. "Look for anything that might trigger that passage way. We _have_ to find them."

- End Robin-

••••••••

Sebastian stopped, throwing Raven down on a raised platform, moonlight streaming in from overhead. "This ritual will finalize our marriage, _dear_."

He pulled out an extremely thin knife that glittered in the silvery moonlight. He sliced open his hand and grabbed Raven's wrist. Blood poured from his wound and drenched his sleeves but he didn't seem to notice as he sliced the blade across Raven's hand. He clasped her hand to his and squeezed tightly.

His breathing was fierce and his nostrils flared as he closed his eyes and held Raven's hand with an iron grasp. Raven fought to wrench her hand free. She could feel his poisoned blood burning through the veins in her hand and traveling down her arm at an alarming rate.

However, Sebastian threw himself away from her, his body twisting and writhing. His other hand clasping his mouth as his body convulsed. It convulsed again and Sebastian vomited onto the ground violently. Raven covered her nose with her uninjured hand as the smell tugged at her stomach. Her eyes widened as she spotted Beast Boy among the disturbingly red vomit.

"Dude, that was disgusting! I think I'm going to puke." The green changeling gagged.

"You!" Sebastian howled. "You took it!"

Raven's eyes widened as Beast Boy flashed the chakra gem to her with a wide grin. "Told you I'd get it."

Beast Boy morphed into a gorilla and swung his meaty fist at Sebastian's chest. He moved towards Raven quickly and fumbled to clean the chakra stone. Raven snatched it out of his hand and quickly began her chant.

She called to her powers and felt a slight ripple within herself. She smiled involuntarily as the ripple turned into a tidal wave almost instantaneously and she shouted aloud, "Goodbye, Sebastian!"

A black raven flew out of Raven's body, wrapped around Sebastian, and dragged him into the floor. He screamed the entire time, practically foaming at the mouth. Once he was gone and his screams finally died away, Raven collapsed against Beast Boy's chest. "You stink."

"Where'd you send him?" He asked, ignoring her comment.

"Not far. He'll be back soon. I couldn't reach my full power."

"Then we better get out of here fast." Beast Boy helped her stand and Raven glanced down the tunnel at the sounds of footsteps.

The other Titans came out of the gloom and Robin's lips parted into a wide smile. "We found you."

"Are you unhurt?" Starfire asked, stepping forward to get a better look at Beast Boy and Raven.

Raven nodded, a shaky grin clinging to her lips. "We're fine."

"We better get back to the BatCave." Robin pointed his thumb over his shoulder. "There's something you all need to see."

••••••••

-Sebastian-

He slammed his fists against the altar table, smashing it in half. "She slipped right through my fingers!"

"She seems to do that a lot."

Sebastian whipped around to find a man dressed in an all black suit with stark white hair and blazing blue eyes sitting in one of the middle pews, his arms folded across his chest. He had three white scars running from the middle of his right cheek, over his lips, and across to just below his jaw line on the left side of his face. As his lips split in a smile, the scar separated.

"Who are you?" Sebastian asked with a commanding tone.

"That doesn't matter." The man rose and stepped down the aisle, his expensive and shiny shoes clicking on the stone walkway. "Consider me a friend."

"Why should I?" Sebastian asked, wary of the newcomer.

The man toyed with his sparkling diamond cufflinks. "You don't really love Raven, do you?"

"I do. She is the child of my savior. She's powerful and beautiful. She is my wife." Sebastian answered almost automatically.

"Right." The man laughed and even Sebastian had to admit it was a sultry chuckle. "Well, anyways, it's safe to assume you don't like Beast Boy?"

"The green one?" Sebastian's eyes narrowed. "He invaded my body and stole what was rightfully mine! I want to tear him limb from limb and that'd only begin his punishment."

The man nodded firmly. "Good." At this point, the man stood just before the dais, his eyes burning into Sebastian's. "I have information that could - no, _will_ - lead to a better torture for both Raven and Beast Boy. If you listen to me, he won't be around to protect her anymore and she'll be all yours."

Sebastian's interest was piqued and the man knew it. "I'm listening."

"All you have to do, is resurrect one dead girl and those two Titans' worlds will come crashing down right into your lap."

-End Sebastian-

* * *

**_Don't read if you don't want spoilers_ (if they can be called that. Basically, if you have NO idea who the guy at the end was or the girl he's talking about is, don't read this part.)**

**If you haven't guessed, the man at the end was Malchior. Rorek never took off that mask so I just imagined that Malchior had got him in one of their fights. Well since Malchior is in control of Rorek's body, he likes showing off that scar since it's like his trophy in a way.**

**Know who the girl was that Malchior was talking about?**

**If you guessed Terra, you'd be right. ****I know in the show Terra was somehow alive yada yada. Well I decided to ignore that tidbit xD **_-Anii_


	17. Chapter 17

**My love for Greg Cipes gets stronger everyday xD**

**Okay, we all know what it actually is.**

**It's a fangirl obsession.**

**Anywho, finally! I got to write some Beast Boy and Raven stuff ;3**

_-Anii_

* * *

**Chapter 17: "This may never start. We could fall apart and I'd be your memory."**

― _**Memory by Sugarcult**_

Beast Boy walked out with a towel around his waist as he scrubbed his wet hair with another towel. "I've taken four showers and I still smell like that guy's insides!" Beast Boy made a disgusted face and stuck out his tongue.

Raven turned back around, facing the tiny screen that displayed Bane's partner. Raven had no clue what to think. Bane was rescued by vines. Simple vines. They looked at every single camera in the prison and all they could find where vines. Not a single face or clue to help them. Batman had contacted the Justice League immediately and Robin assumed Batman knew who they were dealing with but was reluctant to tell.

Raven sighed. "Do you think Goth, Bane, Malchior and this mystery person were working with Sebastian?"

The vines proved that all of the villains they'd encountered so far were working together, minus one - Sebastian.

"I doubt it." Beast Boy plopped down beside her on the his new bed.

Each Titan had a borrowed room in Batman's expansive mansion and full access to any room or equipment in the house - with his or his butler, Alfred's, consent of course.

"They had different goals." Beast Boy went on.

An awkward silence fell between them and Raven shattered it by whispering, "I appreciate what you did for me."

Beast Boy looked startled by her statement. "What? Dig around in someone's intestines? I mean, it's something I'll never forget," He shuddered and stuck out his tongue again, "But I'd do it again for you, Raven." His voice softened as he blushed and added, "In a heartbeat." (Anii Note: He actually said this in the comics I just had to use it. It was so cute!)

More uncomfortable silence.

"So, are we both just going to forget about what happened earlier?" Beast Boy asked as he ran a hand through his wet hair and dumped the towel on the floor (Anii Comment: Not the towel around his waist! Don't get too excited, ladies xD)

Raven felt the heat rise in her face and she stared at the floor. "Is it really the time to talk about things like that?"

"When would the right time be?" Beast Boy quipped. He wasn't angry, just making a valid point. "One of us could die tomorrow and everything we haven't said will go unheard."

"I think I liked you better when you weren't so…wise." Raven mumbled.

"I'm serious." Beast Boy took her hand. "Don't you want to know what I have to say?"

Raven shook her head, the panic rising in her chest. "Don't. Not now."

His voice forced her to look at him. "Please, Raven. Why not now?"

"Because I don't want to believe it." She admitted honestly.

"Believe me?" His hand gently cupped her cheek. "Or yourself?"

Raven bit her lip, refusing to answer. Beast Boy pressed on, his face just mere inches from hers. "I'd like to think that that emotion earlier chose me for a reason."

His words brought back memories of Lust's words, which were extremely similar. "I don't know."

"You do know." Beast Boy insisted. "I don't want to push you too far Raven but I can't go another day not knowing. What do you feel for me?"

"I can't tell you." Raven felt the tears in her eyes. Her mind was a total mess. She wanted to hit him and kiss him at the same time.

Nearly all her emotions were screaming in unison for the latter option but Raven's fear of new things and her own emotions kept her from doing neither EDIT THIS MEEEEEEEEH. Beast Boy leaned in closer, his words barely a whisper. "Then show me."

His lips pressed slightly against hers at first, testing out her reaction The light kiss was a mere invitation - Beast Boy didn't really expect anything out of it, that much Raven could tell. However, she shocked both him and herself as she kissed back, timidly, at frist. She wrapped her arms around his neck, crushing his lips to hers as she sunk further into her hidden desires. Beast Boy responded just as hungrily, kissing her feverishly, his burning hands positioned innocently on her sides.

Raven could heard Lust sigh contently in her mind and smiled meekly. Beast Boy felt the smile and pulled away the slightest, his forehead resting against hers. "Should I take this as a good thing?"

"Take it however you want." Raven answered cryptically, trying to hide her growing smile.

Beast Boy laughed and surprised Raven by pulling away completely. She was thankful he didn't press for more but couldn't ignore the tinge of regret (probably influenced by Lust.)

He touched a lock of her severed hair. "I can't believe that bastard cut your hair and took your gem like that."

Raven flinched at the sudden change in conversation. "He isn't exactly sane." She touched her shortened violet locks. "Does it look bad?"

Starfire had attempted to cut the chopped hair into a decent pixie cut and raven was still indecisive about if she liked the drastic haircut. Her hair had never been so short before.

Beast Boy smiled and genuinely whispered. "Not at all."

He rose to his feet and walked back into the bathroom. "You better get to bed. We're up bright and early tomorrow for a Titan meeting."

"I remembered." Raven said as she stood and cracked her back.

Beast Boy poked his head out of the doorway and winked. "You could always sleep in here."

"Hah-hah." Raven stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed heartily before disappearing back in the bathroom.

The water roared to life and Beast Boy called out his Goodnight to Raven as she left for her own room. In the hallway, she passed Cyborg's door and turned right to enter her own bedroom. She flicked on the lights to change into her night time clothes and flicked them off again before climbing into bed.

She curled up in the center of her bed, her heart feeling light and her head spinning. She was giddy. It was such a strange thing to experience but she liked it. Beast Boy had made her feel that way and, as she drifted off to sleep, her mind focused on her green companion.

••••••••

-Beast Boy-

He scrubbed at his skin, his cheeks burning hotly as his mind flickered back to what had transpired only moments before. He could still feel phantom lips pressed against his own - Raven's lips.

His heart thumped painfully in his chest yet it felt so light. He could hardly believe he had gone through with it. But, after today and almost losing her, he had to know. He couldn't go another day without knowing. Niether of them had really expressed what they felt in their hearts but they didn't have to.

He was content enough to imagine that she returned his feelings. That kiss was all he needed until she was ready to tell him her real feelings and accept his own.

His ears twitched as he heard a sound come from his bedroom. He left the water running and silently crept out of the shower. He tightly wrapped a towel around his waist as best he could and pushed the bathroom door open. Raven had left the lights on, thankfully, and he easily spotted the intruder.

His heart plummeted and his mouth went dry. "T-Terra?"

The blonde swung around and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Good to see you again, Beast Boy."

He didn't know what to do so he just stared, his mouth slightly open and his body frozen. Terra stepped forward and covered her eyes. "Whoa, maybe you should put some clothes on."

"How'd you get in here?" He whispered breathlessly, reaching numbly for his pajamas.

"I don't really know." Terra shrugged. "One moment I was in total darkness and the next I'm here."

Beast Boy slid into the bathroom to quickly dry off and change.

"Actually, that's a lie." Terra added miserably. "There was an in-between."

"An in-between?" Beast Boy asked, his ears pricking up.

"I was in this red room before I came here. This guy said he brought me back from the dead. I asked what he wanted and he just smiled." Terra said as Beast Boy stepped out of the bathroom and strode closer to her.

"What'd he want?" Beast Boy asked, his head prepared for another betrayal but his heart still hoping Terra was completely on the good side.

When she met his gaze, his hopes soared. "I don't know. He didn't say." Her blue eyes becoming wet with held back tears. "I don't want to be an evil pawn again, Beast Boy. And that guy radiated evil."

Beast Boy gathered her into his arms. "We won't let that happen. Let me go wake up the others."

Terra gripped his arms. "Please don't tell them I'm here."

She looked fearful so Beast Boy said, "They don't blame you, Terra."

The unease dissolved the slightest bit but she still held on to him. "Just please let me stay here for the night. Can't we tell them in the morning?"

"You're going to make yourself upset all night thinking about it." Beast boy warned.

"Distract me." She whispered, her big eyes staring into his own.

••••••••

Beast Boy stared down at Terra's sleeping form in the middle of his bed, his mind going a mile a minute. Really, he was the one who hadn't slept a wink as he kept himself up all night with dread for the morning to come.

He ran his hands through his hair. "Oh boy."

His eyes widened. "Crap! The Titan meeting!"

He yanked Terra out of bed and dragged her down the hallway towards the meeting room. He pushed open the door and Robin crossed his arms over his chest. "Nice of you to join us-"

A soft, collective gasp ran through out the room as Terra murmured and touched her messy blonde hair. Beast Boy snuck a glance at Raven. She was shocked but there was a deadly aura circling around her. He groaned and bowed his head. He was expecting that reaction and hoping it wouldn't happen.

Beast Boy helped Terra stand upright and she straightened her clothes or rather, the clothes she borrowed from Beast Boy. Robin spoke up first. "Welcome back, Terra."

Terra's cheeks flushed, shocked by his reaction. "Hi, everyone."

"Take your seat, please. We didn't get far so I'll just restart." Robin informed.

Terra sat beside Beast Boy, her spine rigid and her gaze distant. She was _not_ expecting this, it was obvious. Robin cleared his throat and his voice adopted its usual "leadership" tone. "We caught the man Cedric. He turned Raven over to the Church of Blood and took the nymph, who's now in Aqualad's care. He won't tell us anything about the statue. Yet." Robin's lip pursed. "He's a weasel. He'll crack soon to save his own skin."

"I don't know about that." Raven debated. "I think the Church gave him everything he ever wanted. If he loses their favor, he loses everything."

Robin shrugged his shoulders. "We'll just have to find a way. We need those statues."

"I've divided all of the Titans into several small sections. Mostly I just picked teammates but for the loners, I tacked them onto our group. Jericho and Ardent should be here soon. They all have their own tasks." Cyborg stated, his strong voice filling the room. "I don't know if they'll be able to find anything but we've got to try. These things are steeped in centuries of legend. We've got to be vigilant."

"We also have to deal with the four criminals we've met so far." Robin dimmed the lights and Malchior's dragon form appeared on the projection screen behind him. "Malchior is working with the vines that freed Bane. We all know about Malchior and his-" (Anii Note: There are Five criminals so far [The "Vines", Bane, Goth, Malchior, and Sebastian] but they've only actually MET four.)

Terra's hand raised. "I don't."

Beast Boy leaned over and whispered. "We'll talk about that later."

Bane's masked face appeared beside Malchior's picture.

Robin cleared his throat and went on. "Bane is one of Batman's most terrifying enemies. He's brutally strong and highly intelligent."

Next, Goth's face appeared on the white screen with his band members behind him. "Goth is somehow tied into all of this but no one's heard of him before."

Robin glanced at Raven before putting the next picture on screen. "And the fourth, Sebastian Blood - a creepy 14 year old with a thirst for blood. He killed his dad to become the leader of the Church. From what Raven said, Sebastian and his followers dedicate themselves entirely to the resurrection of Trigon and the 'cleansing of the world'."

The lights went up and the faces on screen disappeared all together. Robin leaned his palms on the table. "Any thoughts?"

No one spoke and Robin sighed. "Me either."

"The vines are the key." Cyborg insisted. "Once Batman tells us who controls those vines, I think the puzzle pieces will start to fall into place."

Robin nodded in agreement but his hands clenched into fists. "I don't like sitting around though."

Raven rose up from her chair, flicking on her hood. "Why don't I go meet up with Jericho?"

Cyborg stood as well. "I think there was something on that prison video that we're missing. I'm going to go check it out."

Both Titans left without hesitating and the remaining four sat in silence. Robin sat on the edge of the table, his arms crossing over his chest before he spoke. "So, no offense but, how are you alive?"

"I have no clue." Terra answered.

Beast Boy's eyes widened as he waited for Terra to go on but she didn't. Robin shrugged his shoulders. "Well, it is good to see you again. Beast Boy, why don't you fill her in on what's been happening?"

Beast Boy reluctantly nodded and held the door open for Terra.

-End Beast Boy-

••••••••

-Robin-

"Why did you allow Terra to go with Beast Boy alone when you know Raven has feelings for him?" Starfire asked curiously, not a hint of accusation in her innocent voice.

Robin took in a deep breath as he stared at the door Beast Boy and Terra had just left through. "Terra's back and that's going to cause some problems between Beast Boy and Raven. Beast Boy needs to figure out his feelings sooner rather than later."

Starfire's eyes filled with concern but he forced out a weak smile. "Either way, this will be good for them. If Beast Boy loves Terra, Raven can hit the brakes before she falls any harder. If he loves Raven, then there's nothing to worry about."

Starfire nodded but she was still distraught. "Earthling feelings are so complicated."

Robin smiled genuinely. "Yeah but that's what makes us unique I guess."

-End Robin-

* * *

**Beast Boy showed so much restraint in this chapter :') Our little Beast Boy is growing up.**

**I'm not a Terra Fan but I didn't want her to really be a "bad guy".**

**Sebastian brought her back to get between Raven and Beast Boy but he really just set her loose. She didn't want to be used by someone again so she went to Beast Boy for help and basically caused what Sebastian wanted without meaning to. I just wanted to stress that.**

**When she says "distract me", she isn't talking about anything sexual!** _-Anii_


	18. Chapter 18

**I apologize for not posting on Wednesday! DX**

**Please forgive me!**

**From now on, if I don't post on the scheduled day,**

**please assume that I'll post on the following Friday.**

**This summer isn't going to be like all the others**

**I've got a lot to do ^^;**

**Anywho, please enjoy!**

_-Anii_

* * *

**Chapter 18: "That's what you get for falling again you can never get him out of your head."**

_**― Pretty Girl by Sugarcult**_

Raven was jealous. She knew it without hesitation. _I have nothing to be jealous over. _She tried to tell herself.

But she knew that was all bullshit. Last night, their relationship hadn't changed in name but both of them had expressed their feelings through that kiss. _Did I….Did I not express myself enough_? Raven thought, her chest quivering with pain.

_He's not my boyfriend. I can't stop him from seeing her. _Raven told herself firmly, "her" refering to Terra.

If Beast Boy chose to continue his relationship with Terra, how could Raven blame him? Their relationship had only ended because of Terra's death. Raven understood the logic but her aching heart refused to accept it.

Raven scanned the other platform for Jericho and caught his attention. He seemed happily shocked by her appearance. She flagged him over and Jericho jogged over to and slid up beside her.

"Do you mind walking back?" Raven asked. _I really don't want to get back anytime soon._

Jericho shook his head, a smile on his pleasant face. However, one look at Raven, and Jericho seemed to have heard her unspoken words. His eyes questioned her and Raven let out a pent-up sigh. "Don't worry about it."

His eyes still wondered but he nodded as if understanding her unwillingness to share.

••••••••

-Beast Boy-

Terra sat at the head of his bed, staring at Beast Boy as he sat at the foot of the bed, facing and staring back at her. They hadn't spoken since Beast Boy explained who the unfamiliar villains were to her.

She chose to break the silence, bringing up the topic he really had wanted to avoid. "Things between us were really never resolved."

His chest hardened and his voice cracked. "Yeah." It didn't matter if he didn't want to talk about it. They _needed_ to talk about it.

"Seems like we were always stopped before we could really figure out how it would turn out." Terra shoved her blonde hair behind her ear and stared at him, her eyes plainly showing what she was implying.

_God damn life and it's freaking curve balls._ Beast Boy thought as he ran his hands through his hair. "I don't know, Terra."

Terra nodded. "I understand."

She was trying to be cool about it but he could clearly see the hurt in her blue eyes. "There's a lot going on." Beast Boy murmured.

It was a pathetic excuse but he was entirely at a loss. She was right. Things between them had never been resolved. He didn't even technically have a confirmed relationship with Raven. He still didn't even _really_ know her feelings.

He _assumed_ she liked him back but here Terra was _telling _him that she liked him. Would Terra become his "what if" in life?

Beast Boy bowed his head. This wasn't about the girls' feelings. This was about _his_. And he had feelings for Raven, even if she didn't love him back, and that was final. He wouldn't chose someone he didn't love because they loved him back. He chose Raven and he always would.

"There are things going on, Terra." Beast Boy swallowed around the lump in his throat and he adverted his eyes. "But that's not what's stopping me from asking you out. I like someone else and that's not going to change any time soon."

Several painful moments ticked by and Beast Boy lifted his gaze. The pain in Terra's eyes deepened as shining tears slipped over her lower eyelid but she forced a smile. "Guess we missed our chance, huh?"

Beast Boy nodded solemnly, unable to look at her pained face any longer.

"Can we still be friends?" Terra asked, her voice quivering.

Beast Boy's head shot up. "Of course!"

He crushed her in a hug and she laughed weakly. "Good luck." She whispered into his chest.

-End Beast Boy-

••••••••

A man bumped into Raven, shoving her against Jericho. The man's eyes glowed with anger. "Watch yourself."

Her temples throbbed with the man's uncontrolled ire and Raven pressed a hand to her temple as she ground her teeth together. A soft hand clamped down on Raven's shoulder and she looked up to see Jericho watching her intently.

Raven grabbed his wrist and tugged him across the street. She could feel Jericho's curiosity but blatantly ignored it. "We're almost there."

Jericho nodded, smiling politely at his guide. Raven paused behind the white lines as the barriers lowered and the red lights flashed, alerting pedestrians that a train was coming. Raven felt a hard shove on her back, which sent her flying towards the train tracks. The barriers were still too high and Raven stumbled right under them.

Cold hands grasped her upper arm and yanked her back just as the train came around the bend, blaring its horn loudly as it chugged away. Raven pressed a hand to her rapidly beating heart and looked up into the face of her savior - Jericho.

His bright green eyes flashed with concern and Raven could only shrug. Someone had pushed her. Did someone recognize her as a Titan? Raven glanced around, bowing her head so her pale face was partly hidden in the shadows of her hood. No one seemed to be paying any attention to her. No, if someone had recognized her, there would be an uproar just like there was on the bus in Jump City.

Would their main enemies have tried to end her life by pushing her into the path of an oncoming train? The train whoosed by, making Raven's hood flap against her face. She gripped the edge of her hood to keep it in place as she considered who her attacker had been this time.

Malchior would have made a scene; Goth would have taunted her before sending her to her death; and Bane didn't need a train to crush her skull. The vines might have made a comeback but Raven was positive that she had felt human hands on her back. The only plausible explanation was that her attacker had something to do with Sebastian or the mystery woman.

The train rolled by and the barriers lifted. Jericho still held onto Raven's arm as they moved over the train tracks, worried about her stumbling again. Raven cleared her throat and gently pulled herself away from the silent Titan. "Like I said, we're almost there."

••••••••

Robin stroked his chin, Batman standing to his left. The elder hero stepped forward and spoke crisply. "The woman working with Bane is Dr. Pamela Isley or better known as Poison Ivy."

"She's the one who freed Malchior?" Raven asked.

Batman nodded. "Most likely."

"Ivy is a plant hybrid." Robin informed. "She can talk to and control them."

"So she was the one who whooped our butts at the Tower." Cyborg crossed his arms, still bitter about being beaten by vines.

"Correct." Batman cleared his throat. "I believe she's the one behind _all_ of this."

"You think she's controlling Bane, Malchior, and Goth?" Terra asked, now fully informed about the recent events.

"If anyone could, it would be Ivy." Batman muttered.

Raven could sense the undulating emotions under his words but didn't dare delve deeper into them. Batman was a true hero and a kind man for letting them stay in his home but he wouldn't like her prying into his mind one bit.

"According to the Lady of the Lake, stopping Ivy isn't enough. We have to get the statues too. We're going to have to split up. We'll each partner up and look for a particular enemy while the other Titans will find the statues." Robin's face contorted with anger. "I hate asking the others to chase shadows and myths but they're all we've got since Cedric is still in interrogation."

Batman cracked his knuckles beside Robin. "I'll handle Cedric."

The Dark Knight casually walked out of the room with a slow and steady gait, as if he were going to make a pot of coffee and not bash someone's skull in until they coughed up what he wanted to know.

Pride rippled out from Robin and Raven closed her eyes. She could always feel the emotions of others but today felt extremely strange. It was like her sensors were on high. The onslaught of high emotions was making Raven nauseous.

"Raven and Jericho."

Raven's head snapped up as she caught her name slipping from Robin's mouth. "What?"

"I said you and Jericho are a team." Robin crossed his arms over his chest and his face hardened. "Where you listening to me?"

_I was only distracted because of your damn emotions_, Raven nearly shot back.

Robin sighed and shook his head. "I said you two are in charge of finding Malchior."

Raven glanced at her new partner and saw an apologetic expression on his face. _He's sorry for me_. Her eyes widened and the words slipped from her mouth before she could catch them. "Don't be sorry."

His face seemed to lighten a little and he bowed his head, as if embarrassed. Raven's lips parted in a very small smile. She liked Jericho. She understood why Robin put them together and she applauded the decision. Raven was an empath and Jericho was a mute. The only one who could probably understand him was Raven.

Robin divided the other teams and assigned them a villain. Starfire and Cyborg were charged with finding Goth; Terra and Beast Boy were given the task of finding Ivy; Batman and Robin would find and deal with Bane. Sebastian wasn't even considered a priority. _(Anii Comment: Idiotic 14 year old -_-)_

Robin ran his hands through his hair. "I hate splitting us up like this but there's just too much to do and too many people to capture."

"Even if we find these guys, what are we supposed to do with them?" Terra asked, her arms crossing over her chest.

Raven held down her contempt for the girl. Her anger was spiked because of her jealousy over Terra and Raven chided herself for it. _So what, she's sitting next to and partnered with Beast Boy? He's not yours, Raven._

Raven's head bowed low, her chin nearly touching her chest. _How the hell could I be thinking of things like that at a time like this?_

Raven lifted her head, her eyes flashing with rejuvenated determination as she listened to Robin answer Terra's question. "You fight them of course. But first, you have to call the others for backup. These guys aren't petty criminals. They're hardcore villains that the Justice League usually deals with."

"Then why isn't the Justice League helping us?" Terra asked with a twinge of bitterness in her voice.

"Because they're just as weak as we are right now. The entire world is against them. Some of them left their superhero lives, some died, and the remaining ones are keeping the world safe as best as they can, just like us." Robin spat.

Raven lifted a hand, no longer able to take it. "Please stop."

Robin glanced at her and his face contorted with worry. "You look awful. Are you okay?"

"You really know how to compliment a girl." Raven murmured, clenching her teeth as another wave of nausea washed over her.

"S-sorry." Robin stammered.

Raven opened her mouth to say that she was fine but she shook her head, casting away the lie. She wasn't alright. Robin's anger, Terra's frustration, Beast Boy's nervousness, and her own jealousy were mixing in her body, causing her mind to shudder.

She was taking in too many negative emotions at once and it was making her physically sick. Raven took in a deep breath and rose from her seat. "Excuse me."

She rushed out of the room and made it to her personal bathroom in just enough time to puke. She collapsed on the cold tile floor, her temperature cooling as she sat in the silent bathroom far from the raging emotions in the room.

••••••••

-Robin-

Robin bit his tongue. _Damn it. I'm sorry, Raven…._

Her powers were fluctuating because of the shift in balance in nature so her empathic powers were probably on the fritz. He sighed, breaking the silence in the room. "This is going to be really tough guys. Since we're splitting up, I want everyone to report here weekly whenever you can. Talk to whoever's here."

Everyone nodded, except for Beast Boy, who was staring at the door with puppy dog eyes. Robin smiled softly. From the way Terra was sneaking sorrowful glances at the green Titan, Robin assumed that Beast Boy had clearly made his choice.

_Sorry, Terra. _Robin murmured to himself. _But now you can find someone too._

"Dismissed." Robin stated.

The team all moved, exiting the room without speaking. However, Starfire remained beside the Titan leader. She stared at him, her big eyes filled with pleading. "Robin, may we please go to your room?"

Robin's jaw nearly dropped to the floor. "P-pardon?" He squeaked.

Starfire adverted her gaze. "Do you not think that it is time, Robin?"

"T-t-time?" Robin stepped back, clumsily running into one of the chairs and crashing to the ground. His entire face burned as Starfire bent down to help him up.

-End Robin-

••••••••

"Don't come in." Raven called as she heard a knock on her bedroom door.

She could sense Beast Boy outside in the hallway. His undulating nervousness caused her stomach to clench.

"I just wanted to see if you were okay." The hurt in his voice made random tears spring up in Raven's eyes.

She sucked in a deep breath and pushed herself off of the cool bathroom floor. She slowly made her way to her bedroom door and pulled it open. Beast Boy's ears were bent back and his face showed the despair that Raven felt inside of him. His eyes flicked up at the sound of her doors opening but his expression only seemed to drop further.

"I'm fine." Raven insisted

Beast Boy nodded, even though he clearly didn't buy it. "Alright…."

He moved to walk away but stopped himself. His gaze lowered. "I didn't take what happened between us lightly…" He faced her. "I'll wait until you're ready to hear what I have to say. No matter how long that is it."

Raven couldn't help herself - she smiled softly. "Good luck."

"I don't want to!" Raven jumped and poked her head out into the hallway as she heard Robin's cry. Beast Boy spun around, startled as well.

"But, Robin, you must!" Starfire's voice followed Robin's.

"No I don't!" Robin shouted back as he slid around the corner and raced towards Raven and Beast Boy, holding a white towel around his waist and wearing nothing else.

Starfire whipped around the corner, flying after him with a bucket of sloshing water in her hands. "You must bathe, Robin! You are beginning to smell like the Garfnaudes from my home planet!"

"I don't care! Get that crap away from me!" Robin howled, disappearing around another corner. _(Anii Note: Don't forget that Robin and Raven still have hydrophobia xD)_

Raven backed away as a droplet of water splashed over the rim of the bucket Starfire carried as the Tamaranean passed her room. Beast Boy busted into laughter and Raven caught herself before she smiled. Since when had Beast Boy's laugh had the power to make her smile? She pursed her lips into a thin line.

"Thank you for your concern. Please sleep well tonight." Raven closed the door and rushed to the bathroom just in time.

* * *

**Lol ending on a light note xD Well, except for Raven puking her guts out ^^; Again, I'm sorry about the late update**_ -Anii_


	19. Chapter 19

**I'm sorry to say that I'm going to have to push this story back.**

_**I'm not stopping!**_

**I'm just going to update once every other week instead of every week.**

_-Anii_

* * *

**Chapter 19: ****"I wanna thank you because now I'm free and I'm never going back to you!"**

_**― Break You by Marion Raven**_

Raven, curled tightly into a ball in the center of her bed, groaned loudly as she heard the communicator ring. She covered her ears, begging for the annoying chiming sound to go away but it only continued and, finally, she thrust back her covers and swiped the communicator off of the nightstand.

"What?" She growled, her head throbbing.

"Who, you don't look good." Robin cleared his throat. "Um, I was just going to tell you that patrols are starting. You should get dressed….if, uh, you're up to it."

Raven closed the communicator in response and slid out of bed, her bare feet tapping softly against the wooden floors in her borrowed room. She slid on a pair of jeans and stepped into the bathroom. She stared at her reflection, sighing and running her fingers through her messy violent hair.

Her eyes looked too big for her face and her skin looked deathly pale. The baggy purple shirt she wore hung almost to her knees and just made her look like a skeleton in a giant potato sack.

She muttered softly to herself and stepped into a pair of sneakers by her door, making sure to grab her communicator on her way out. She stuffed one hand in her pocket and flipped open the Titan device.

What was Jericho's number again? Raven racked her brain until she came up with the number 12 and shrugged her shoulders. She punched in the double-digit number and Jericho's face appeared on screen.

"I'll meet you at the river in five minutes. By the main bridge."

Jericho nodded cheerfully and Raven slapped the lid closed, shoving the communicator deep in her pocket. She sucked in a deep breath and tilted back her head, her eye lids fluttering closed.

_Are we going to cooperate, everyone? _Raven asked, speaking to her emotions and powers.

Nothing stirred in her and so she nodded and said aloud, "Alright then."

Raven was on top of the roof within minutes. She leapt up on to the ledge and watched as the sun sunk low below the horizon. There was no railing on this roof and Batman's mansion was enormous. A fall from here would kill a normal person without a doubt. She stared down at the far away ground, an expression of uncaring on her face.

She felt anxious. Restless.

She tipped back her head, smiling as the wind stroked her heated cheeks, ran its chilly fingers through her cropped hair, and made the baggy shirt flap against her body wildly. She sucked in a deep breath of the fall air, relishing in the scent. She dropped her head, her chin nearly touching her chest. "Time to get to work I guess."

Raven thrust out her left hand to the side and swept in an arch over her body. The cry of a raven echoed in the sky as black energy enveloped Raven and transported her instantly to the meeting place with her partner.

Jericho bounced over to her like a happy puppy. It was odd how friendly he was with her. Raven shrugged it off, testing out her stomach to see if Jericho's emotions would make her sick.

They didn't. Raven's eyebrows scrunched together and she snuck a glance at the mute boy. Raven actually couldn't sense anything coming from Jericho. At least, not anything he didn't want her to feel. It was like he let her see a little bit of what he was feeling to get his message across but locked up everything else in a place she couldn't find.

Raven clenched her jaw. Good.

She was on high alert and the overpowering emotions of her teammates were making her sick. It interested her why he was hiding his emotions but she wasn't about to unleash Pandora's box.

She opened her mouth to ask him where they should start when a familiar voice interrupted her from behind. "Hello, Raven."

Raven mentally face palmed. _Shit._ "Well, well. We were looking for you, Malchior."

She spun around and swatted away his arm as he reached out to touch her. "You look good with short hair." He teased.

Jericho stepped forward, his eyes fierce as they ran over Malchior's borrowed form. Malchior chuckled. "Don't try to capture me with those eyes."

_Capture? _Raven stuffed down her question and black energy billowed out from her eyes as her anger mounted. "What are you planning Malchior?"

"Do you think you can find out just by asking?" Malchior's piercing blue eyes narrowed. "How naïve."

Raven grabbed the back of Jericho's shirt and yanked him back as Malchior's human shape split. Malchior stretched out his long, scaly neck, his jaw snapping open to reveal jagged teeth. Steam puffed out of his nostrils as his voice echoed in her mind. _You want me to tell you? Make me._

"My pleasure." Raven replied gruffly as she collected energy in her hands.

Black energy cut several gashes in Malchior's thick hide. Black blood oozed from the nasty wounds but Malchior's laughter made Raven's ears ring. _Is this the best you can do?_

Raven ground her teeth together. _He's trying to piss you off. Don't give in._

Malchior took her moment of weakness and slammed down a heavy claw on her, crushing her into the ground. Raven gasped for air, her bones crying out as Malchior shoved her harder into the Earth.

His laughter rippled out from his lengthy throat and his tail swung from side to side tauntingly. Raven only saw a blur as the blond boy launched himself at Malchior. Jericho tossed dirt straight into Malchior's eyes then tumbled to the ground as the enormous beast's head thrashed with pain.

Raven was released from her prison and hands yanked her away before Malchior could recapture her. The pair ran from the raging dragon, both minds racing to come up with an effective plan. However, Malchior's thick tail slapped against them, throwing them off of their feet.

Jericho rolled down the sloped river bank and dropped into the water. Raven slammed straight into a lamp-post with enough force to snap one of her ribs. The empath shook away the stars from her vision and called out Jericho's name. She could see his body sticking out of the shallow water but he wasn't moving.

Panic grabbed her heart and Raven turned in just enough time to dodge a fireball. The lamp-post melted slowly from the fiery attack and Raven stumbled back, keeping her front to the hissing beast. His head lowered so she could clearly see his beady red eyes, which glowered with hatred._ I'm going to kill you last._

Raven attempted to block out the dragon's threat but he broke through her mental barriers easily. _I'm going to slaughter your friends one by one in front of you and cut the throat of every annoying Titan I get my claws on._

Malchior's mouth hung open and short bursts of fire shot out with each of his exhales as his anger burned deep within him. _I'll make you watch as every last one of them fall at my feet and then I'll rip out your filthy human heart. How does that sound, dear? _He spat.

_Don't listen to him, Raven. He's trying to mess with you! You have to ignore him! _Even as she told herself that, she could feel her rage growing stronger in the cage buried deep inside of her. Why was she even fighting him? Without the book, there was nothing she could do.

Hopelessness crashed into her chest, giving her rage more to feed off of. _You need me_, It taunted.

Raven slapped another lock on her cage and tried another wave of attacks. Raven leapt up and latched on to one of the spikes protruding from Malchior's black neck. He struggled, tossing his neck from side to side to shake her off but Raven held on as if her life depended on it. Well…it actually did.

Malchior reached a claw back and snatched up Raven in his iron like grasp. _You damned pest!_

Malchior tossed Raven away from him and she slammed into a picnic table, shattering it on impact. She groaned as she pushed herself onto her hands and knees. Fragments of wood stuck out of her body gruesomely and Raven held back her bile.

_You're so weak! Where was that beautiful creature I saw when you defeated me!?_

Malchior's howls of outrage did nothing to soothe Raven's growing anger. She clenched her body as if she could keep the raging emotion down through the action.

_Pathetic! _Malchior roared, blowing flames her way.

Raven let out a cry of frustration as she levitated off of the ground. Her black energy sprung to life, blocking the rippling flames as she tore a lamp-post right out of the ground. She coiled the metal around Malchior's neck. She had only intended to make the narcissistic dragon gasp for a little air but something ugly took control of her.

Raven's fingers curled in slowly, causing the metal to tighten and crush Malchior's airways. A light flickered in Malchior's eyes - surprise. Raven's eyes narrowed as her fingers curled in more. She watched Malchior rake his claws against the metal in an attempt to free himself and felt…joy.

A soaking wet hand appeared and clasped on to Raven's wrist. Raven jerked her head to the side to see Jericho, completely drenched. His eyes blazed, his emotions filling her quickly. Too quickly.

Raven dropped to the ground, _hard_, and the metal around Malchior's neck loosened. Raven sat up quickly and retched from the heavy emotions Jericho had unleashed.

Malchior crashed to the Earth. For a panic-filled moment, Raven thought she had killed him. However, she could feel the life flowing out from him, although it was feeble.

Raven clenched her jaw and forced her body to relax. She inhaled and exhaled through her nose until she could speak without puking. "Any ideas on how to get an unconscious dragon back to the mansion?"

••••••••

Raven stepped into the meeting room, Jericho right at her side. Robin and Batman stood side by side in matching poses, arms crossed over their chests with their backs ramrod straight. "We found nothing." Robin muttered.

Starfire shook her head glumly. "Neither did we."

Raven stuck her hands on her hips, a slight grin forming on her face. "Well we got you a little present."

Robin's face lit up and his arms dropped to his side. "Did you find him."

Raven shrugged, trying to hold back her laugh. "Why don't you go up to the roof and see."

"Alfred and I will take care of that." Batman stated as he moved past Raven and Jericho. "You did good."

Raven nearly fainted. One of her idols had just told her she'd done good. Raven bowed her head, the excitement and pride draining from her body. No one would have been proud of her if they'd seen how she'd captured Malchior, how far she'd sunken into her rage.

"Hey guys!"

_As if my mood couldn't get any worse. _Raven thought vehemently.

Terra raced into the room, nearly knocking both Jericho and Raven onto the floor. "We think we found something."

"I'm going to my room." Raven muttered. "Fill me in later."

Beast Boy was practically whimpering as she passed by him. His eyes trailed after her and she could feel his unasked questions stirring in her own chest. How could she let herself get like this?

_It's because of him. _She thought bitterly, referring to Beast Boy. _You can't show one emotion without losing control of all of them._

Raven paused in the middle of the hallway. Was she really that kind of person? Was she going to blame others for her own stupidity? _She_ let Malchior get under her skin. _She_ let herself lose control. Beast Boy had nothing to do with it.

She couldn't blame that loveable little dork. Raven bit her lip to stop herself from smiling. _I'll just keep him at arm's length for a little_, she told herself. Raven tilted her head to the side. He would think he'd done something wrong. Raven swallowed around the lump in her throat. What could she do?

She caved and let out a long sigh. _I'll have to talk to him. This isn't his fault and I don't want him to think so._

Raven nodded firmly, concluding the battle within herself. Unfortunately, there would be many more to come.

* * *

**So, from now on I'll update every other Wednesday. Again, I'm really sorry :(** -_Anii_


	20. Chapter 20

**I am getting a new laptop soon so,**

**expect regular updates from now on :)**

**I'm so sorry about the wait guys.**

**I'm BORROWING my mom's home computer**

**and I only get an hour a day -_-;**

**So, please forgive the spelling or grammatical errors.**

**I'm more worried about getting chapters out to you guys.**

_-Anii_

* * *

**Chapter 20: ****"I gotta roll the die. Never look back. Never think twice."**

―_**To be Loved by Papa Roach**_

_-Ivy-_

Goth threw open the metal door, which squeaked loudly on its hinges. He kicked it closed with his heavy black combat boots and dug around in his back pocket for his cigarettes. He let out a long sigh as he spotted her and flicked open a box of Marlboro cigarettes.

The wind tussled her long, curled hair as it breezed by slowly without a care in the world. Ivy dug her teeth into the plump flesh of her bottom lip, outrage once again seizing her heart. "I'll kill him when I see him."

"How attractive." Goth rolled his eyes and pressed his back against the bricked wall of the alleyway he used as a smoker's retreat. He stuck a thin cigarette between his lips and held it there awkwardly as he spoke and simultaneously pushed the box into his back pocket. "Did anyone ever tell you you aren't cute when you're mad?"

"Shut up." Ivy hissed, her upper lip curling in a grimace. _Even demons are a nuisance._

Malchior had gone to Sebastian―alone―and created a mess of things. How long had she planned this? How many _years_ had she waited, silently but patiently, for her revenge. And now this- this- _idiot_ was going to ruin everything? _I think not. _Ivy murmured inwardly with a violent snarl.

His little stunt had added another member to the Titans' ranks. _No matter. _She leaned back against the brick wall, her green eyes glaring at the demon in front of her. _**One more brat won't spoil my fun.**_

Ivy bounced her leg as she waited, relishing in the scent that passed under her nose. Goth noticed her slight smile and tilted his head to the side, his eyes taunting her as he plucked the cigarette from his lips. "Do you smell my cologne? Does it turn you on?"

Ivy bolted upright and snatched the cigarette from his fingers. "You're damaging my planet." She tossed it down and ground it into the filthy cement with the toe of her boot.

Goth smirked as he stepped closer to her. Even with her high-heeled boots, Goth was still taller than her. His lips parted, probably to give her a snarky response, but Ivy glanced at the mouth of the alleyway and grinned.

She smoothly stepped back―away from Goth―and pranced right up to Bane as he approached her. "I have done as you asked." He murmured in his usual rumbling tone.

Ivy nodded slowly, smiling as she let her voice lower to a sultry level. "Good." She spun on her needle-thin heels and faced Goth. "Your turn."

Goth rolled his eyes and thrust open the metal door angrily, letting out a humorless laugh as he strode into the building. Ivy's fingers curled into a tight fist as she swiveled around and brushed past Bane, her fiery red hair swaying against her back. "We have things to do as well, love."

_-Ivy End-_

___••••••••_

_-Cyborg-_

Cyborg watched his partner as she showed her fake badge to the security team outside of the old warehouse while he sat in the T-Car in a nearby parking lot. He positioned the headset's microphone closer to his lips. "Can you hear me, Star?"

"Yes, can you see?"

"Can you focus the lens a little more?" He asked as he taped away on the computer's screen. "Just tap the left side of your glasses twice."

"Did it work?" Star asked.

"All good, Star. Alright, we're in business."

"The business of what?"

Cyborg couldn't help but smile at her innocent tone. "Never mind. Just keep your head level at all times and try not to seem suspicious. We're all stealth today. Don't go anywhere near Goth. Stay under the radar."

"How does one 'not seem suspicious'?"

"Uh, well for starters, don't talk to me." Cyborg suggested. "You'll look pyscho if you do. Hey, hold up a minute. Star, look to your right. Can you zoom in on that big guy in the shadows? Tap the right side once."

Starfire did as he asked and Cyborg felt a chill sweep down his artificial spine. The hulking figure standing off to the side didn't look at all friendly. The man's eyes nearly glowed and they immediately found Starfire. The man's lips twitched into a smirk.

Cyborg ground his teeth together. "Stay away from that guy, Star."

"Cue the lights!"

The screen went black and Cyborg held his breath. Had she already been spotted? His whole body geared up for a fight but a spotlight rained down from the ceiling and landed on a lone figure dressed in ridiculous clothing. Goth's horrendous music began oozed from the stereos and Cyborg relaxed a smidge. Goth couldn't be more of an oddball if he tried. He wore an overly large hoodie that nearly went down to his knees with a black tank top underneath. He had on the tightest jeans Cyborg had ever seen with huge rips and holes in the fabric. Goth's attire also included black combat boots and a gas mask that covered only one eye.

Goth grabbed the microphone and let out a bellowing wail into it as the stage lit up, revealing his whole band.

Cyborg cringed. "That weirdo is destroying music."

Cyborg jumped as someone tapped the driver side window. He flicked off the computer screen and punched the button on his arm to set up his disguise. He rolled down the window and cleared his throat. "Is there a problem?" He glanced at a shining badge on the man's chest and added, "Officer."

"You can't park here." The officer's deep voice sounded like the slow rumble from a thunderstorm.

"Certainly, officer." Cyborg noted the man's enormous muscles and decided to lay on the compliments, hoping to get out of a ticket. "And might I add that I'm glad this city is employing men of your-"

"Move the car." The cop growled.

"Yes, sir. I will move the car."

"You do that." The cop walked away from Cyborg without another sound. Cyborg rolled up his window, grumbling under his breath as he let down the disguise and started up the T-Car. Before pulling out of the parking lot, he flipped the screen back on. Goth's loud music blared through the speakers.

"Son of a-!" Cyborg snarled as he twisted the volume button to a lower setting.

Cyborg peeled out of the parking lot as he spoke into the microphone. "Listen, Star. I had to move the T-Car but-"

"No! Cut!"

Starfire's camera spun sickeningly as her head turned towards the source of the loud yelling.

An angry, short man tossed his headset to the ground. "What the hell was that?! You call that acting!?"

Goth yanked off the fake gas mask, his lips twisting into an ugly snarl. "Excuse me?"

The man, who Cyborg assumed was the director, stormed over to Goth and stabbed a pudgy finger against the demon's chest. "I don't sell crap and what you're giving me is crap."

Starfire wasn't close enough to get a clear view of Goth but Cyborg thought that, for a split second, Goth's eyes flicked to pure black. The performer spun around, his combat boots squeaking on the floor, and stomped towards a back alley exit.

"I suggest you get your shit together before coming back on my stage!" The director howled after Goth.

"Star." Cyborg stopped the car in the middle of the street. The engine rumbled as it awaited his command. "Follow Goth. I'll be right there."

Cyborg jerked the wheel to the right, guiding the car down a rather narrow alley. He hopped out of the car and sent up the disguise. He locked up his prized possession and jogged back towards the warehouse. He turned down the side alley Goth had disappeared into and slid to a halt as he nearly ran into Starfire. Starfire silently pointed down another alley and Cyborg nodded, understanding and moving towards it. He stopped just before the corner, pressing his back to the wall as he slowly popped his head around the corner.

Goth stopped abruptly and Cyborg held his breath. Goth pulled his hand out of his pocket, holding a nearly empty pack of cigarettes. Goth pulled the last toxic stick out of the package then tossed it to the ground. A thin trail of smoke twirled up as Goth lit one end of the cigarette. "Stupid, eco-bitch." He grumbled, tilting his head back to let out of a plume of gray smoke.

Goth tapped his cigarette, letting the burned section sprinkle down onto the cement. "You know," He took a long drag on his cigarette. "I'm offended."

The pathetic excuse for a musical artist spun around, his combat boots crunching on the dirty ground. "You're the worst stalkers ever."

Cyborg's eyes widened as Goth's lips twitched into a sinister smirk. "Star, move in n-!"

Goth tossed his cigarette to the ground and a blast of fire shot up, consuming the entire alley. The force of the explosion made all kinds of trash fly out of the mouth of the alley. Cyborg threw his hands up to protect his eyes. "He's getting away!"

A leg stepped out of the scorching flames and Cyborg stumbled back, startled. A figure―which Cyborg could only guess was Goth's true form―slipped out completely and flicked its long hair over its shoulder. Red skin and huge bat-like wings were the most prominent features of the transformed singer. The silver metal pieces on Goth's armor clinked softly as he stepped closer to Cyborg. Two human skull covered each shoulder and high black boots stomped down on the concrete, creating spidery cracks in the solid rock.

Goth tilted his head to the side, his lips splitting in a wide grin. Even his facial structure had changed. "I didn't expect such shabby work from you Titans."

Cyborg didn't waste another moment. He aimed his cannon right at Goth's head. "Well I'm not done yet."

"Unfortunately, I have another place to be." Goth chuckled, the flames crackling behind him.

"Who said I'm going to let you go anywhere?" A blast of blue light exploded from Cyborg's arm canon.

With impossible speed, Goth jerked his head to the side, narrowly missing the quick attack. The ends of Goth's hair sizzled and he frowned. "I have to make a living off of my appearance, you douche."

Cyborg sent another blast Goth's way. "Good luck with that, ugly."

"Ugly?" Cyborg whipped around as Goth's voice rose up from behind him. "Now you're being nasty."

Cyborg's cannon struck Goth in the chest and the demon went flying backwards and straight through the brick in the alley. Screams rose as the people inside of the warehouse heard the explosion and witnessed the demon rising from the rubble.

"You're starting to piss me off." Goth growled, brushing dust from his black attire.

"Good." Cyborg aimed another blast at Goth.

Where the hell was Starfire? Cyborg though, keeping his eyes on the opponent before him.

"Well, I'm going to remember this little encounter." Goth announced. "But, I really have to be on my way."

Cyborg shot another blast at the demon but he was gone. Cyborg lowered his cannon, clenching his jaw tightly. Stars exploded in his head as something solid struck the back of his head. He swung around to see a street kid behind him, armed with a lead pipe. Cyborg looked past the kid to see his group of friends holding Starfire.

"Star, are you okay?" Cyborg asked.

"They are humans." Starfire noted, her voice filled with dread.

It was hard for either of them to fight humans. Both he and Starfire used their powers to battle the bad guys but their powers could kill normal humans in a heart beat. Cyborg closed his eyes, groaning softly. The kids didn't speak but the hatred in their eyes was obvious and startling. What rumors had they heard? That the Titans were responsible for 9/11 and the war in the middle east? Or―Cyborg's personal favorite―Pearl Harbor?

"I wasn't even alive during Pearl Harbor!" Cyborg shouted out loud angrily.

The kid with the pipe's eyebrow arched but he didn't question Cyborg's outburst. Instead, he lashed out again with his cylindrical weapon. Cyborg wrenched the pipe from the kid's hand and tossed it aside. "Hey, kid! We don't want to hurt you!"

The kid somersaulted and snatched the pipe off of the ground. He let out a feral cry before stabbing the pipe straight through Cyborg's arm. Cyborg stared at his damaged limb. Small spurts of electricity burst from the wound and Cyborg felt his patience snap.

"Alright, punk." Cyborg yanked the pipe out of his arm and grabbed the kid by his shirt. "You wanna play?"

Cyborg shoved the kid against the wall and, using all of his strength, pinned the kid's hood to the brick. Cyborg released the kid, who struggled to drop down to the ground, and turned to the kid's friends. "I suggest you let the lady go before ya'll really piss me off."

_-End Cyborg-_

___••••••••_

Heavy rain beat down against her body. She felt every drop hit her skin and even as her body began to shake as her core temperature dropped, Raven still sat perched on the edge of Batman's home. She lowered her head, feeling her chest swell with excessive guilt.

_Even the sky is upset,_ Timid whispered.

Raven glumly sighed. She didn't like that her emotions were still taking over but Timid didn't seem as bad as the others. She didn't really do anything drastic like the others had. Thank God.

Suddenly the rain stopped and Raven lifted her gaze to see a yellow umbrella over her head. Her eyes drifted up the arm holding the umbrella until her eyes locked with Beast Boy's.

Beast Boy smiled. "Thought you could use this."

Timid hiccupped as the tears began again. "You're always so nice and I'm so mean to you."

_Oh boy._ Raven mentally face-palmed.

Beast boy's smile faltered as he sat beside her, angling the umbrella so it mostly covered Raven.

Timid pushed his hand, moving the umbrella so it was over both of their heads. "You'll get wet."

"I thought you were afraid of water?"

"Raven is." Timid answered.

Beast Boy blinked, clearly confused. "So, you aren't Raven?"

"I am. We are."

_Timid._ Raven cautioned. _He isn't the brightest-_

"You're one of her emotions." Beast Boy noted, smiling and bobbing his head as the realization hit him.

Timid nodded, too afraid to open her mouth. A gust of wind whipped by, wrenching the umbrella from Beast Boy's hand and carrying it off. Timid let out a guttural cry, nearly throwing herself off of the building to catch it. Beast Boy grabbed the back of her shirt, yanking her back. "Hey, it's just an umbrella. We don't know if your powers are working."

Hot tears flooded down Raven's face. "But that was- but you." Her face crumpled with guilt. "I'm so sorry."

"It wasn't like it was my favorite umbrella or anything." Beast Boy joked, laughing weakly.

Timid shook her head violently, her body shaking with her sobs. "I'm sorry for everything. I've become such a burden since my power's started messing up."

_H-hey._ Raven argued. _That's a little-_

"That's not-"

"It is true, Beast Boy." Timid hiccupped. "This is all my fault. I'm so sorry for everything mean I said to you."

Beast Boy rushed to console her but she brushed it aside, continuing her self-destruction. "If I hadn't told you to grow up so many times, you'd be laughing and smiling a lot more. Now you barely even crack jokes. I'm so sorry."

Beast Boy grinned widely. "Seriously?"

Before Timid could go on, Beast Boy grabbed her into a hug. Raven expected him to tell her she was wrong and to make a joke but he didn't speak. Raven's cheeks lit on fire and, even as the real Raven begged her to stay in Beast boy's arms, Timid awkwardly pulled Raven's body away.

"I-I'll go down first." Timid stuttered, practically throwing herself on to the roof floor.

Timid thrust open the door the door and raced down the stairs, glancing over her shoulder occasionally as if Beast Boy were behind her.

_That was so perfect._ Lust sighed mournfully.

Raven refused to vocalize her agreement with her emotion's statement.

* * *

**Way to ruin the moment Timid -_- lol**

**Updates will be regular from now on :) I promise**_ -Anii_


	21. Chapter 21

***dancing* This is so awesome!**

**Finally updating again.**

**When I get my new laptop, the chapters will be a lot longer, I promise.**

**Anywho, updates will be regular from now on :)**

_-Anii_

* * *

**Chapter 21: "I can't carry this anymore. Break free."**

_**― Move by Thousand Foot Krutch**_

_-Sebastian-_

Sebastian's eyes narrowed as the blond Titan stepped forward, blocking Sebastian's view of Raven. The golden street light rained down on the pair as Raven squatted down, a circular device in the palm of her hand. Sebastian flinched as her partner's eyes flicked towards him, almost as if he could see Sebastian despite the distance and darkness.

"Sire?"

Sebastian spun around to see one of his followers. She immediately bowed low. "Sire, there is a girl in the church."

"Who?" Sebastian barked.

The followed flinched. "The girl you resurrected, sire. She demands to see you."

Sebastian tore his eyes from the Titans. "Fine. I'll deal with it."

_-End Sebastian-_

___••••••••_

"Are you sure you want to do this? You don't have to, Raven." Robin asked, his face displayed on the round communicator screen.

Raven offered up a casual shrug, even as she lifted the man-hole covering and caught a whiff of the stench from inside. "By the time the other Titans get here, I could have been there and back."

"But you-"

"It's fine, Robin. I'd rather do this than sit on my ass at the mansion." Raven glanced over her shoulder, her eyes narrowing.

Jericho seemed like he was watching something. His startling green eyes were completely focused on something far off and swallowed up by the night-time shadows. Raven shook her head as she swung her legs over the edge of the manhole.

"Just send me the interrogation and we'll take care of it." Raven ended the conversation and tossed her head back.

The stars above twinkled over head, silently watching the world. She let out a long sigh and called over to her partner. The sound of his name seemed to snap his focus away from the unseen object and he looked at her.

"You ready Jericho?" Raven asked.

Jericho offered up a thumbs up and a cheery smile. Raven glanced down at his feet and bit her lip to keep from laughing. "Are you wearing rubber boots?"

A pink blush permeated Jericho's cheeks and he ran a hand through his blond curls.

Raven stared down into the murky depths of the manhole, grimacing as she hear the trickling sound of rushing water. "Alright. Hope you're prepared to get dirty."

Without further adieu, Raven shoved herself off of the lip of the manhole and plunged down into the disgusting city sewers. Her feet hit solid ground and Raven tilted back her head to call out to Jericho, "There's a pathway for you."

Jericho's head popped into view and understanding flashed in his eyes. Raven hovered off of the ground as she waited for Jericho to descend the ladder. Once he was safely on the ground, Raven flicked on the flashlight. She lifted a hand to her nose, gagging as the foul stench became overbearing. "Well this is going to be fun." She commented as Jericho switched on his own flashlight.

The twin beams surveyed the area, confirming that they were alone in the eerily quiet sewers. Raven pushed a button on her communicator and Cedric's face appeared on screen, bloody and swollen. His sentences were broken up by long draws of breath as pain swarmed in his eyes. "The man-hole is just under a streetlight by the park entrance."

Batman's voice rose up from the communicator's speakers and echoed down the empty sewage tunnels. "Why were you there?"

Cedric bowed his head, swallowing painfully. "I was running from loan sharks."

"So you chose the sewers?" Batman asked.

Cedric nodded, grimacing with the effort. "I knew those bastards wouldn't get their suits dirty."

"Right. And a rat like you has no problem going down there. Alright. Then where did you go next Cedric?"

The screen flickered momentarily as Cedric lifted his face towards the camera. A trail of fresh blood oozed from the corner of his mouth. "I stayed there for a few moments but then I heard a noise so I ran down another tunnel."

Batman's fist lashed out from behind the camera, striking Cedric's cheekbone. "I thought you said the loan sharks didn't follow you?"

"T-they didn't!" Cedric cried frantically.

Raven paused the video and ran her flashlight down the right side of the large tunnel. "There." She stated when her flashlight beam landed on a gaping hole.

Jericho stepped towards the hole and tossed Raven a look that questioned her certainty.

In response, she nodded. "Cedric would have been frightened. He ran without thinking and chose the closest tunnel he could find. This is the closest one."

Jericho shrugged, agreeing with her. He stepped into the tunnel first. Raven followed, turning the video back on. Cedric's labored pants echoed loudly in the narrow tunnel. "I don't know who was there! I just know I heard something and ran!"

"Then where'd you go next?" Batman asked, his deep voice revealing nothing.

Cedric spit out a glob of blood. "I walked further down the tunnel. It was really narrow so when I saw a larger tunnel leading away from it, I took it."

Jericho pointed to a tunnel to the right and Raven shook her head. "That tunnel's more narrow than this one."

Jericho's rubber boots splashed through the muck in the tunnel but he didn't complain. Raven almost felt guilty for hovering over the disgusting mess. Jericho jogged down the tunnel, poking his head inside. He faced Raven, smiling victoriously. Raven stepped into the tunnel, her flashlight cutting through the darkness. "This looks like it could be it."

_••••••••_

_-Sebastian-_

Terra kicked over the church's podium as Sebastian strode down the aisle. "To what do I owe this sudden visit?"

Terra puffed up her chest. "I'm not your pawn."

"Okay." Sebastian replied, easily lifting the stone podium off of the floor.

She seemed stunned by his response. "Then why'd you raise me from the dead?"

"It's what I do." Sebastian smirked.

Terra scowled at him. "You're a villain. You don't do good things. I know what you did to Raven."

"Well." Sebastian crossed his arms over his chest. "Look at that. A villain calling someone else a villain."

"I-I'm not a villain." Terra sputtered.

"I know as much about you as you know about me." Sebastian's smiled wickedly. "I know how you betrayed the Titans. Maybe raising you from the dead wasn't a good thing at all, mhm? Maybe it's right up my alley."

Terra's jaw clenched. "Just stay away from me."

"Wasn't it you who broke into my home?" Sebastian taunted.

"I won't be your pawn." Terra repeated as she stormed out of the church, her spine rigid.

_-End Sebastian-_

___••••••••_

_-Robin-_

Robin plopped down on the couch and moved to grab the remote switch. Instead, he tilted his head back against the top of the couch, reveling in the quiet. He heard soft clicks and opened his eyes. "What are you doing out of bed?"

Starfire flinched. "I am fine."

"You were hit with a lead pipe." Robin argued, lifting his head slightly. "You should be resting."

"I am not human. I am fine." She repeated.

Robin sighed and let his head fall back against the couch. "I don't even know what we're doing anymore, Star."

"We are talking." She replied as she stepped behind the couch.

She placed her hands on the side of his face and Robin let his eyes slip closed. "I mean the Titans."

Her hands smoothed back his jet black hair. "We are fighting."

"Well, I'm a little tired of always fighting." Robin replied snappishly. "I'm just-" He sighed gruffly. "I'm tired.

Starfire didn't respond and Robin wondered if he'd upset her. He opened his eyes in just enough time to see her bend down to plant a kiss on his forehead.

"The world will not end if you rest." Starfire whispered, her hair slipping over her shoulder and brushing against his face.

"I can't rest until this is over with." Robin answered, feeling his heart thrum in his chest.

Starfire smiled, her gentle voice making Robin's heartbeat rise tenfold. "Then we will fight so you can rest."

Robin sat up, startling the Tameranean. He spun around, his hand reaching out and catching Starfire's arm. He yanked her towards him, his arms wrapping tightly around her. Even with the couch between them, Robin felt stronger with her in his arms. Starfire's body relaxed and he felt her palms press against his back. She laid her head on his shoulder as he pressed his cheek against the top of her head.

Where would he be without his friends? Images of each face flashed across his vision and his arms tightened around his lover. "I'll fight, Star. I'll fight until we can all rest."

_-End Robin-_

___••••••••_

Sewage dripped from above and Raven closed her eyes, forcing herself not to think about it. "Let's see where Cedric went next."

She pressed play and Cedric's terrified voice rushed out of the speakers. "I didn't know what to do next so I just kept walking but then I heard it again."

"Heard what?"

"I don't know. It was a noise!" Cedric whimpered.

"It probably was a rat." Raven noted as a plump rodent raced by.

"Where'd you go next, Cedric." Batman demanded.

"I ran like hell! I passed up dozens of tunnels- I was just trying to outrun it! I was so lost!"

"That's not what I-"

"Okay!" Cedric shouted, his eyes wide and scared. "I**―**uh**―**I ran to the left! Yes**―**the left! Um, the tunnel was partially covered by rocks. There must have been an accident or something**―**I don't know!"

Raven lifted her eyes from the screen. "This tunnel seems to go for quite a while."

Jericho zipped past her, his feet kicking up the foul-smelling water. Raven blinked and flew after him, slightly surprised and amused by his eagerness. Jericho stopped abruptly and Raven slammed into him, nearly knocking him off of his feet. She muttered her apology as her flashlight beam caught what he saw**―**the tunnel Cedric had described.

Raven nodded firmly before playing the video again.

"Next, I went to the immediate right." Cedric's eyelids slid over his blood-shot eyes. "I could still hear the noise**―**it was following me now. I was scared shitless. I felt like I could feel them right behind me. And then, it vanished. I freaked out and ducked into a really tight sewage pipe. I crawled for a while and there was an opening in the side. I almost didn't see it and, when I heard the noise again, I didn't think**―**I just plunged right in. It was an opening to a room and there it was."

"There _what_ was?"

Cedric's voice was barely audible. "The figure."

"Why didn't you take it?"

"It freaked me out!" Cedric shrieked. "I didn't want to even touch it!"

"Right. You sell whores. Not artifacts." Batman jabbed.

Raven stopped the video, suddenly feeling exhilarated. They were close. Good. "Alright, Jericho. Get ready."

The golden-haired boy flashed her a determined smile before heading down the tunnel before her. It didn't take long for them to reach the narrow pipeline Cedric was talking about. They both just stared at it for a moment before Raven released her held-in breath. "Let's do this."

She hopped up on the lip of the pipe and pushed her body through it, gagging as her hand landed in a squishy mess. She shook her head and crawled forward so Jericho could squeeze in after her.

It was a struggle to effectively hold on to her flashlight and crawl through the slippery pipe at the same time. Several times, her neck cramped up and she lifted her head to alleviate the pain but ended up smacking her head on the roof of the pipe.

"Amazing." Raven grumbled. "I'm afraid of water but not sewage. Great. Just freaking great."

She could sense Jericho's silent laughter behind her and Raven opened her mouth to snap at him when a light caught her eye. She crawled forward further and the light grew. "That must be the end. Could we have missed it?"

Raven's hand slipped and she scrambled to catch herself. A tingling made her snap her head to the right. "It's here."

Raven stuck out her hand and it disappeared into a hole. Her eyes widened and she pushed her hand in further. She moved forward as the ridges of the pipe bit into her knees but lost her balance and slipped right through the hole, head first. Raven opened her mouth to scream but quickly shut her jaw as muck splashed against her face. The tunnel dumped her onto the ground and Raven pushed her body off of the ground, groaning softly.

She moved out-of-the-way just as Jericho dropped from the tunnel. Raven shuddered as she felt the sewage seep through her clothing and shook her head from side to side. "This better be the right place."

Jericho tapped her shoulder repeatedly and pointed over her shoulder. She spun around to see a fire-red statue resting on a tilted pedestal. Raven ran towards it, shocked that Cedric had told the truth for once in his life.

"We'll have to thank Batman when we get back." Raven joked as she reached out a hand to grab the statue.

Jericho's fingers coiled around her wrist, a look of concern in his eyes. Raven lifted an eyebrow. "We have to get it to the Lady somehow, don't we?"

Jericho didn't seem convinced but he let her go. Raven flashed him a smile and tried again for the figure. Her fingers brushed across the surface timidly. It felt rough. Raven screwed her lips into a pensive expression before plunging forward and snatching the figure off of the pedestal.

Nothing happened.

The ceiling didn't cave; the pedestal didn't crumble; nor did hoards of bad guys jump out.

Raven breathed a sigh of relief but perhaps too soon. Fire leaped out from the statue followed by a gust of wind that blasted Raven's chopped hair and clothing back from the force. Raven snapped her eyes shut and threw up her free hand to cover her face. She opened her eyes and gasped. Flames roared loudly all around her. Screams echoed but she couldn't see a single person anywhere near her**―**not even Jericho.

Raven clutched the statue, spinning in a circle as she searched for an exit. _This must be a vision._ She reasoned frantically._ It has to be._

If it was a vision, it was absurdly realistic. Heat blasted against her face as the bright fires raged, howling loudly. Raven coughed as she breathed in the clouds of smoke and blinked away tears that formed in her stinging eyes.

Her eyes shot open wide and she nearly dropped the statue as she saw the looming figure before her. A woman**―**her flesh completely charred and black**―**hovered in the dancing flames, her head tilted back and her mouth open in a silent scream.

* * *

** Since my other story is ending, I'm going to return this story back to one update every week :) Thank you all for being so patient! -**_Anii_


	22. Chapter 22

**Again, sorry about such short chapters.**

**I have been writing since 7pm. It is now 3am.**

**So, bear with me!**

_-Anii_

_Hey guys! This week Anii could not upload this chapter (she's in the woods roasting marshmallows and getting chased by coyotes), so her best friend Aneeka aka Fangirling500 is coming to the rescue. I hope you guys love (and fangirl) over this story as much as I do. She really is a talented writer and really captures these characters perfectly. Anyhoo, before things get all mushy and I start giving a little speech, here is chapter 22. *drumroll* P.S. Watch out for my little comments ;P_

* * *

**Chapter 22:**

**"I know where the nightmares what fodder do they two long weeks I stayed awake. Until I saw one cross your face."  
**

**-Nightmares by John Ritter**

Raven stumbled back, her eyes riveted to the horrifying image before her. A piece of the woman's leg broke off, sending up red embers as it crashed to the ground. Raven felt her mouth run dry and let out a ragged gasp as a section of fire flared up, nearly burning her.

A hand slapped down on her shoulder and Raven whipped around. "J-Jericho?" She stammered.

The moment their eyes met, the heat from the flames vanished as if it's been sucked away. Raven glanced over her shoulder, a stunned expression on her face.

The woman in the fire was gone. (Whoa, that's trippy)

Surprisingly, the statue didn't look anything like what Raven had expected. Her eyes scoured the statue and locked immediately on the tiny symbol etched into the base of the figure- it was the symbol for Leo.

Raven shuddered and, still looking at where the woman had been, said, "We should get back."

_••••••••_

Raven swallowed down her fear, hugging the statue to her chest with sweaty palms. The nymph coaxed her forward and Raven placed one foot on the surface of the water. As it had before, a lily pad sprung up beneath her foot with every step she took. As Raven approached the dais in the temple, she could see the lady of the lake hip-deep in the water with an aquatic flower cupped in her palm.

The Lady's eyes shifted from the flower to Raven and a small smile formed on the elegant beauty's lips. The moment, however, that her eyes landed on the statue, her face crumbled. Vivienne gently placed the flower back in the water, creating small ripples in the otherwise calm waters.

"You found the Leo. " She noted.

Raven nodded. "You said to bring it to you when I found them."

Vivienne pursed her lips before holding out one blue hand to Raven. Silently, Raven turned over the statue without hesitation. A horrified grimace took over Vivienne's beautiful face and she gasped, nearly dropping the Leo Statue straight into the water. It actually looked as if she were battling the statue.

She made a guttural noise before letting out a long sigh. The Lady's shoulders relaxed and the tension fled from her face. "You did well, my child, but I fear that things may be worse than I first expected."

Raven waited patiently for the Lady to ascend the stairs and reach the dais. Vivienne paused once she reached the top and glanced down at the ancient artifact in her hand. "I fear Nature's hatred may spell the end for this world."

Raven stepped forward, rocking the lily pad she stood on and disturbing the calm water. "There must be something we can do!"

Vivienne pushed aside the white veil. "All we can do is try- try and hope. Thank you, Raven. I will begin the cleansing ritual and I hope that it will bring some order to this chaos."

_••••••••_

"How'd the meeting with the Lady go?" Robin asked from the kitchen.

Raven breezed past him, her brow furrowed in thought. She could easily call up the memory of that deadly circle of flames and the burning woman. She felt the warm breath of the fire and could smell the flesh of the woman as it turned black. Raven cringed and climbed the stairs to the bedroom floor. She shoved her door open and stepped through, shoulders slumped. She barely had her shoes off before she flopped down on her bed, groaning loudly into her pillow.

_••••••••_

Raven gasped loudly as she bolted out of bed, throwing the covers back violently. Cold sweat clung to her skin and her chest heaved as she desperately sucked down lungfuls of air. Raven dropped her head into her palms, fighting the tears threatening to slip down her cheeks as images of her nightmares flashed across her eyes.

She swung her legs over the side of her bed and hopped down, slinking over to her bathroom. She ran her fingers through he short hair, trying to smooth down her wild bed head. She glared at the dark circles under her eyes and lowered her face to splash water against her face.

_I don't want them to worry._

_Raven pressed a plush towel against her cheeks and forehead before tossing the towel on the counter and moving out of the bathroom. Without bothering to change, Raven left her room and jogged down the stairs._

"Good morning, Raven!" Starfire chirped.

Raven lifted one eyebrow. "Uh, Starfire, what are you making?"

Starfire smiled happily. "A morning meal from my home planet! Would you like some?" (Not on your life)

A tentacle wiggled over the side of the pot and Raven's stomach turned. "I think I'm just going to have cereal."

Raven opened the cupboard to remove her cheap brand of cereal and tipped the box so its contents slipped into a glass bowl. Raven put the box away and dumped milk into the bowl with her Crispy Flakes. She nabbed a spoon and slipped into one of the barstools by the kitchen counter. "Did Robin even go to bed last night?"

Starfire stopped her vigorous mixing and replied with her back to Raven. "No, he did not."

Raven shoved her spoon into her bowl and twirled around the contents aimlessly. "Is anyone else up?" Raven asked, hoping the slight change in subject would cheer up the Tamaranean.

"Mr. Bat and Alfred have been up long before I." Starfire poured an entire container of salt into her pot.

"Mind if I turn on the T.V?" Raven pointed to the giant T.V in the living room, which was connected to the kitchen openly.

Starfire shook her head and Raven reached for the remote just as Alfred waltzed in, looking dapper as always. His thin mustache was neatly trimmed and his attire was wrinkle free. "Good morning Miss Fire and Miss Roth." He greeted.

Raven waved slightly and flicked on the T.V. The screen in the living room lit up and a woman's face appeared, her face bearing a grim expression. As the volume clicked on, Raven turned back to her cereal.

"There have been several report natural disasters within the hour." The woman announced.

Raven's spoon hovered just above her bowl.

"As of now, there have been over 100 Earthquakes, 200 tornadoes and countless other natural disasters worldwide. (Umm I don't think that's possible)" The newswoman reported. "The death toll is nearing the thousands and scientists are scrambling to come up with a reason for the sudden attacks from Mother Nature."

Raven swung her head around to stare at the T.V as a series of gruesome images flashed across the screen. "I-Is that even possible?" She whispered aloud.

"It's quite devastating," Alfred commented, "that Mother Earth has forsaken us so. Although, are we not the ones who forsake her first?"(*applause*Well said Alfred)

Heavy footsteps made Raven jump the slightest. Cyborg stomped through the living room, his features serious. "I'm going out."

Just as he walked out the front door, Terra strode through it. Her pale blonde hair was disheveled and dirtied. Her shorts were stained with mud and her pale cheeks were slightly sunburnt.

"Where were you?" Raven asked, shoveling cereal into her mouth.

(You know just coming back from the dead and butting in on the blossoming relationship between and your one true love, Beast Boy) "No where." Terra replied snappishly, a look of fire in her eyes.

_••••••••_

Raven's mouth moved rapidly as she silently repeated her chants. Her body levitated off of the couch effortlessly as her mind began to quiet. She could hear the soft sounds of Robin breathing as he sat next to her, looking through a book on poisonous plant life, and the sounds from the kitchen as Alfred attempted to teach Starfire to cook.(Yea good luck with that) Terra sat silently at the counter, volunteering herself to be a taste tester. Raven could even hear the shouts from the other room as Beast Boy and Cyborg engaged as video game combat.

What she didn't expect to hear, was the deep groan that came from the Earth. Her eyes shot open wide as the house rattled. Without a moment's hesitation, Raven threw her hand up and a dark bubble formed over the couch, protecting both her and Robin as the lights went out. The ceiling vibrated and the crystal chandelier trembled terribly. Raven held her breath as, through the dark energy surrounding her, she watched the building crumble. Glass shattered and chaos ensued. The room around them gave in and collapsed on top of them. Chunks of building bashed against Raven's protective dome.

Dust clouded her vision and Raven's heart leapt in her throat. She waited for several, panic-filled moments for the dust to settle. She'd barely released her shield when Robin bolted from the couch, calling out Starfire's name.

Raven cautiously stepped onto the floor. Her legs nearly gave out immediately as the shock and fear squeezed her heart. Rubble- pieces of the once beautiful home- were strewn across the cracked floor. The beautiful chandelier lay beneath a section of wall, marred and broken. One lone wall stood amidst the heaps of stone, marble, and glass.

Raven took several shaky steps towards the game room before taking off at a full out run. The gigantic T.V that had once nearly covered an entire wall, lay flat on the floor, its screen shattered and black. Raven opened her mouth to call out to her friends but her voice caught in her throat. She heard a soft groan coming from a pile of rubble. Her hand shot out and black energy followed her orders. She tossed a huge section of wall aside and uncovered a green changeling.

"C-cyborg!" Raven called as she pressed a hand to Beast Boy's chest.

Blue energy leaked from between her fingers and Raven searched the wrecked room through bleary eyes. _Where is he!?_ She thought frantically as she worked to heal Beast Boy. Remnants of the above rooms dripped down and the night wind stirred up clouds of dust.

"Cyborg! Can you hear me!?" Raven shouted, coughing as dust entered her lungs.

Nothing. ( Quit playing games Cy, c'mon out now. Don't do this to us)

"Raven!?" She knew that voice, but it wasn't Cyborg's. "Where are you!?"

"Robin!" Raven shouted back to him. "We're in the game room!"

Someone shoved aside a rock slab and Robin appeared, followed by Alfred, Starfire, and Terra. Raven couldn't feel relieved- not even when beast Boy's eyelids fluttered open and he murmured her name.

"Where's Cyborg?" Raven asked.

"You couldn't find him?" Robin immediately began digging and calling out to the metal Titan.

"Do you think he's unconscious? Can he hear us?" Terra used her powers to toss aside heavier rocks, even her eyes filling with concern.

"This is impossible!" Robin shouted angrily. "Even if he were..." He couldn't say the word. "We would find a body!"

Raven bit down on her lip, crying out hopelessly for her friend as Vivienne's words echoed in her mind. _All we can do is try and hope._

* * *

**Cliffhangers XD Gotta love 'em**_-Anii  
_

_NO Anii, we don't love them. :P_


	23. Chapter 23

**I'm back from a much needed vacation xD**

**I'm so thankful that Aneeka was willing to post the last chapter**

**because I was totally without internet access haha**

_-Anii_

* * *

**Chapter 23: "Catastrophe comes walking in."**

_**- Flames Of Anger by Twelfth Gate**_

Starfire pushed a chair upright, waving her hands for Raven to bring the wounded changeling over to the chair. Terra was tossing away rocks, calling out for the cybernetic man while Robin turned over other furniture pieces, his masked gaze scanning the ruins for his friend.

A rock tumbled away, startling Raven so badly that black energy sprouted from her body. However, the moment her eyes landed on the glimmering metallic hand, her chest heaved as a breathless laugh passed over her lips.

Cyborg groaned loudly, sitting up and rubbing his bald head.

"Why didn't you answer when we called!" Robin chided, his relief showing through his anger.

"The rocks damaged my sensors. It took me a few seconds to reboot." Cyborg answered, bumping his hand against his head like he were cleaning out his ears. A simple bolt came free and the robotic man grimaced. "What happened here?"

Tremendous guilt made her chest ache and Raven's chin lowered. "I think I might know."

_••••••••_

Robin's brow creased as the gears turned in his mind. His gloved index finger tapped against his arm as he locked his arms across his chest. Raven chewed on the inside of her cheek, feeling the heavy weight of the silence on her shoulders. She squirmed under the gazes of her friends as they all drank in what she'd told them.

"So, the Lady in the Lake thinks things are worse than we thought?" Robin asked, his question shattering the painful silence and making Raven jolt in her seat. He was merely repeated what Raven had told him in a simple sentence. It seemed the information was having trouble seeping into his mind.

She managed a slow nod.

Beas Boy's ears drooped back, the light in his distant gaze turning into a dark nothingness. "She thinks we're doomed."

"Maybe not." Raven blurted, suddenly feeling the need to be the optimist, since optimism was fleeing this room faster than she could blink. "If we get the statues and stop Ivy, maybe things can be set back to the way they were."

"We don't even know why this is happening." Robin argued.

Cyborg added his own grim response. "And we've only found one of the statues."

"W-well." Raven stammered, completely flustered. "Did you call the other Titans?"

Robin nodded gravely. "They found nothing."

The dark cloud in the room was suffocating Raven. She pressed her back firmly against the seat, her heart rate rising. Her mind reeled, trying to come up with a plan of attack, anything to stave off the growing pessimism. Defeated, she could only whisper, "Well we have to try."

Those simple words seemed to strike something in Robin. His head flew up, the deep lines of his furrowed brow softening. "You're right. We can't just sit here and do nothing."

Beast Boy's gaze met Raven's momentarily, his goofy smile making her heart sore with pride. For a moment, she felt like she was really part of the team. For so long, she'd felt like she had to be separate. Like all she did was bring them misery. But right here, in this moment, she'd offered the strength. She'd held everyone up when they were falling. For once, she felt proud of herself- so very proud.

Raven slipped her hand into the First Aid kit Alfred had brought out and ripped a Band-Aid from its package. Beast Boy's ears flicked questioningly as he watched Raven with curiosity. She dropped down in front of his chair, licked her thumb quickly, and pressed it against Beast Boy's cheek before he had time to argue.

Using the soft pad of her thumb she scrubbed away a dark smudge on Beast Boy's cheek and gently pressed the edges of the Band-Aid over a cut just above his right eyebrow. A pink blush invaded his cheeks and Raven was suddenly and painfully aware of the stares she was getting from her friends. Her gaze switched to Cyborg for a second but she quickly adverted her eyes once she saw the taunting and smug smile on his face.

Raven placed her hands on Beast Boy's knees and pushed herself to her feet, closing her eyes and forcing away her own burning embarrassment. Thankfully, she was saved by the tall man clad in black that walked through the remnants of the doorway. At his side, was the golden-haired, green-eyed mute, Jericho. Batman's serious mouth twisted into a frown. "What happened?"

"There was an Earthquake." Robin replied readily.

The superhero's eyes narrowed, the only sign of his shock. "That's not possible."

Raven blanched. "What do you mean?"

Her answer came from Alfred. "This house was designed to withstand a handful of relatively normal natural disasters."

"Then how..." Raven cut off her own question. Nature was pissed. Of course this Earthquake wouldn't be normal.

Batman waved away the house's destruction as if it wasn't a big deal. "The prisoners were transferred last night, thankfully. I have another location in the downtown area. It's a lot noisier and we'd have to be careful but it should do. Alfred, make the preparations."

Alfred bowed and disappeared behind a broken but standing wall to do his master's bidding. Raven's mind wandered, wondering how the old man could handle so many tasks at such an old age. Her attention snapped back, however, when Batman called out to Robin. "We'll divide up into new teams."

Robin nodded, looking over his shoulder as he calculated his friends strengths and weaknesses. "Jericho has to stay with Raven." He stated simply.

Batman bobbed his head, agreeing with his student. He clapped a hand down on Jericho's small shoulder. The silent boy's big eyes trailed up Batman's arm and met his gaze with only mild surprise. "Malchior's interrogation went well because of this boy. But we'll discuss that later. Once we're safe behind closed doors. Go on, Robin." Batman released Jericho's shoulder.

"Beast Boy and Terra with Raven and Jericho. Starfire and Cyborg with us." Robin concluded, ending his sentence with a content nod.

Batman mirrored the nod. "Alright. We'd better go help Alfred."

_••••••••_

The cities lights twinkled down below. The wind whipped around wildly, caught in the tall skyscrapers. Raven sucked in a deep breath as the crisp night wind ripped off her hood, throwing it back and revealing her cropped violet hair. Raven tucked one leg up on the ledge and rested her chin on the knee. This almost seemed like an impossible mission now.

Earlier, she'd been the one to promise hope, but now, the future looked bleak. They had two bad guys left and three statues floating around somewhere. How could they possibly hope to accomplish this all?

Raven decided to ignore the grim topic for now. Unfortunately, her thoughts turned to another, darker topic that she had repressed: the idol's vision. Vivienne must have seen it as well- she'd nearly had the same reaction as Raven. Somehow, the vision seemed like it had come from the statue. Being an empath made Raven vulnerable to inner feelings and emotions. She didn't know how to explain it, but she knew deep in her heart that the vision had somehow belonged to the statue and that the statue had shown it to her on purpose. Had the vision Raven seen been the Leo's anger?

Anger at who? The woman?

Even if the desired to burn the woman, Raven had no way of knowing who the woman was or why the statue hated her so deeply. Raven let her forehead rest against her risen knee. _Enough thoughts for one night_, she calmly told herself as she felt weariness tug on her,_ I should be getting some sleep._

She knew, however, even as she tread down the stairs to her new room, that this night would be long and sleepless.

* * *

**Getting my new laptop this weekend! Whooo! Thankfully, if I do get it, that means I can spend more time on each chapter XD So, longer chapters! Yay! lol **_-Anii_


	24. Chapter 24

**I finally got my new laptop. It's going to take some getting used to.**

**Technology and I have a love-hate relationship.**

**Anywho, the chapters should be longer now.**

**Now, remember that I am updating weekly but soon**

**I'm going to college. So, time may get away from me.**

**This entire chapter is basically from Robin's point of view**

**and hopefully there will be more Robin POVs in the future :)**

_-Anii_

* * *

**Chapter 24: "I want to live not just survive."**

**- _Angel with a Shotgun by The Cab_**

The new house wasn't nearly as homey as the last but none of the Titans would complain. Raven did feel rather on edge, however, as she walked down the long marble hallway. There were a multitude of expensive-looking antiques cluttered around each and every room. Batman was being hospitable but Raven didn't think that hospitality went as far as a four thousand dollar vase.

The empath stuck out a hand, her fingertips brushing over the solid gold door handle before she pushed her way into the living area. She flipped back her hood, revealing her solemn face to her friends, who shared equally grim expressions. Starfire was sitting on the edge of the couch; Terra was perched on the bar counter; Cyborg was leaning up against the wall; Beast Boy was sitting on the couch, elbows resting on his knees; and Robin had seated himself on a high bar stool, his gloomy expression beating out the others' hands down. Jericho was nowhere to be found.

"What's the next step?" Raven asked, her voice heavy and filled with the fatigue she felt as she sat in one of the empty armchairs.

"We have to find Ivy." Robin insisted, his face hidden partially in shadow, making his scowl even more frightening.

_None of them thought to turn on the lights,_ Raven silently mused.

"Are we just going to hunt until we drop?" Cyborg shot, his arms crossed tightly over his chest.

Robin pushed himself off of the bar stool and stormed into the tech room. "If that's what it takes."

Beast Boy puffed out a sigh, his ears pressed tightly against his head and his eyes lacking any light. Starfire offered him a friendly pat on the back and gave him a strained smile. Raven slapped her palms down on the arms of her chair, startling the others in the room, and rose to her feet. Without offering an explanation, she moved towards the exit.

"Where are you going?" Terra questioned curiously, seeming to be drawn out of her thoughts by the sound of the door opening.

Raven paused in the doorway, wearily gazing out into empty corridor filled with priceless antiques. "Do you want to come, or not?"

Without hesitating or commenting on Raven's rather rude tone, Terra hopped up from the couch and followed the violet-haired empath into the hallway.

••••••••

-Robin-

Robin's footsteps echoed down the narrow hallway as his boots tapped against the metal flooring. He took a deep breath to repress his raging frustration before moving on into the Tech Room. The room was off-limits to the other Titans unlike the other Tech Room at the old mansion. This Tech Room was special because it really was none other than the Batcave- Batman's personal lair of sorts.

Robin's eyes widened as he stepped into the enormous room, filled with the most high-tech equipment in the world- all designed by Batman or his father. He'd been here numerous times and each time it still stunned him.

The Cave was dome-shaped, with jagged stalagmites hanging off of the ceiling like razor-sharp teeth in a carnivore's mouth. The lights flicked on as Robin stepped onto the grated stairway that led down to the expansive blue-tiled platform.

His boots clunked against the metal grates with every step he descended. He finally reached the platform and placed his hand on the high-backed black chair that Batman usually lounged in. Dozens of computer screens stared down at the chair and Robin adverted his gaze- he was never allowed to peek at Batman's computers, not even after all these years.

"The other's aren't going to wait much longer. We need that information." Robin began, moving around the chair so he could face his mentor.

Confusion swelled in the back of his mind as he found the chair empty.

Batman was supposed to be working on recovering details from Malchior- the bastard who'd broken Raven's heart- and teamed up with the villainous Poison Ivy. However, the black chair was barren and the screens were pale blue and empty. Robin turned to look over his shoulder, squinting his eyes to see in the shadows. The multitude of cars, helicopters, jets, and other vehicles that lay there were dormant and untouched.

The cave seemed uninhabited.

Figuring Batman might be in one of the side caves that branched off from this main one, Robin called out to the man, "Did you-"

"Aghhh!"

Robin burst into a sprint, running straight towards the demonic cries of agony. He ran down winding tunnels until finally reaching the source of the cries. This room was large, not quite as large as the main entrance but damn well close to it.

And it needed to be, seeing as how it's occupant was a fire-breathing monster.

Grated walkways rimmed the circle of the room and Malchior's head popped over the edge. His long, scaled neck thrashed violently, spewing burning hot fire from his mouth and even his nostrils. The fire blasted against the domed ceiling, beating against the tough rock to no avail.

Malchior tossed his head back and happened to spot the Boy Wonder staring. Malchior's green eyes lit up with recognition and rage. Robin crouched down into a leaping position as Malchior's head swung near him. However, abruptly, it stopped.

Robin noted a gleam on the creature's throat and narrowed his eyes. It was a metal collar with several loops which heavy-duty chains were attached to. Robin rushed forward, nearly toppling over the railing as he followed the length of Malchior's neck to the rest of the dragon's body.

Far down below him Batman stood, his arms crossed sternly over his broad chest and his eyes trained on Malchior with an unnerving lack of empathy.

Beside his dark teacher, stood Jericho, his body rigid and his facial features strained in an expression of pensive thought. Sweat dotted against his pale brow and dripped down into his eyes. His curled hair clung to the sides of his face and Robin's trained eyes caught the slight tremor in his body.

Robin didn't waste time running around to the metal staircase leading down to the bottom level. He gripped the rail with both hands and tossed himself over, carefully avoiding the thrashing dragon.

Robin's boots hit the ground smoothly. Jericho jolted as his focus was shattered. Malchior's screams of anguish were replaced by shaky pants. His head lowered, his eyes fixating on Batman. Black blood dribbled from the corners of Malchior's mouth but his eyes glowed with triumph. When he spoke, his voice was hoarse- a clear reminder of his earlier rampage. "Is that all?"

Batman's eyes narrowed- the only movement that betrayed his anger at Malchior's statement.

The dragon let out a throaty chuckle oozing with darkness as his beady eyes turned to Jericho. "Looks like you overestimated your powers, _boy_."

Robin's attention moved to the golden-haired boy. Jericho's blonde curls clung to the side of his face as sweat dripped freely down his deathly pale face. His usually intelligent and bright emerald eyes looked pale and dull now. Robin dashed forward just as Jericho lurched unsteadily on his feet.

"What's wrong with him?" The Boy Wonder shouted, concern ringing in his voice.

"Did you want something, Robin?" Batman asked, completely ignoring his student's question and Jericho's condition.

Batman glanced for a moment at Robin but turned his steely gaze back on the giant monster chained up before him. In that momentary glance, however, Robin saw enough darkness to make his jaw drop and his blood turn to ice.

"If you have nothing else to say, you should probably leave." Batman spun around on his heels, his cape fluttering around his legs as he departed from the room, leaving Robin with a trembling Jericho and a pissed off dragon.

••••••••

Robin ground his teeth together as sweat dribbled down his face, curving around his brow bone and trailing down the side of his face. His arms strained to hold him upright and began trembling from the effort. Robin took in a deep breath through his teeth, telling his body to hold out just a little longer.

He kept his legs straight in the air, forcing his lower body to stay steady even as his arms gave out. Robin tucked his body into a ball in mid-air and did a back handspring. However, his weak arms couldn't complete the action and he rolled across the matted floor, only stopping once his body slammed into the solid wall.

Suddenly filled with uncontrollable frustration, Robin clambered to his feet and smashed his fist into the wall, letting out an angry snarl.

The anger fled almost as quickly as it had come and he pressed his palms flat against the wall, sinking slowly to his knees as he bowed his head. Robin's shoulder sagged and he stared at noting in particular with an empty gaze.

The training hall fell silent as Robin remained poised against the wall, the sweat drying on his skin as he drifted into his own thoughts and became oblivious to the world.

The look on Batman's face still gave him chills. The light in his eyes was an undulating wave of dark emotions that startled Robin. Bruce had never been a particularly warm or friendly person but he'd also never been unduly cruel. He'd always been vengeful and morbid but his past hadn't stamped out Bruce's capacity to be empathetic.

What Robin had seen last night shook him to the very core. Batman had enjoyed watching Malchior squirm with agony. Maybe Robin's mentor had changed in the years that Robin had been away. Robin's fingers curled into fists against the wall at the thought.

He felt a pang of fear pulsate throughout his body. He shuddered against it and snapped his eyes closed. He'd already lost so much, he couldn't lose Batman to the darkness residing in the older man's heart.

Wally had died in his arms, a victim of this growing hatred of superheroes, and Robin's parents had died before his very eyes for something as trivial as money. It seemed like at every corner, Grief was ready to knock Robin off of his feet.

He strived to fight for good and save the innocent but deep in his heart he was struggling. He just wasn't like Batman. He didn't have that drive that Batman did. Robin would rather enjoy life. His idea and Batman's idea of a hero were so different it was painful.

Did his mentor have it right? Or did Robin? He didn't know.

Robin's eyelids slowly opened and he stared down at his knees, instantly regretting letting his mind wander so far. He placed his palms on top of his knees and pushed himself back onto his feet.

He couldn't focus on the bad or he would end up just like Bruce. He'd lost so much, but he had more to live for. He wouldn't let the loss in his life drag away his happiness. He was ostracized and hated but he wasn't alone. He had to stand tall for all of the Titans out there who's suffered as much or more than he had. He didn't start this war but he'd damn well see it to the end.

Robin perked up slightly and forced back his shoulders, even feeling the beginnings of a smile on his lips.

••••••••

Dragging a towel across his damp brow, Robin stepped out of the Training Hall. He could hear loud sounds coming from the kitchen area and paused in the middle of the hallway. The Boy Wonder draped the towel over his shoulder and moved towards the sounds, wondering which Titan was making a midnight snack. The kitchen had a swinging metal door with a large round circular window. Robin pushed the door open easily, amused by what he saw inside.

His girlfriend wore a simple apron and was running around the formerly clean and shiny kitchen. Now the counters were decked out with all sorts of ingredients and the sink piled high with dirtied bowls and dishes. Robin could hardly hide his grin. "What are you doing in here?"

Starfire spun around, startled by his unannounced entrance. Pure white flour was sprinkled in her bright red hair. Chocolate was smeared all across her beautiful face and her child-like eyes glowed. "I was hoping to make a cake to rouse the spirits of our solemn friends." She explained, trying to swipe away the chocolate from her face but only succeeding in smearing it further.

Robin moved closer, peering over the edge of the bowl on the counter, a whisk sticking out of the gloppy mess. He didn't see any wiggling tentacles or smell rotten eggs so he offered her a smile. "You're improving."

She beamed at his compliment and Robin felt his heart flutter. She rushed over to the sink, cranking the knob for the hot water. "I will clean up the moment I have finished the-"

Robin stuck his finger in his cake batter, making her cry out with despair. "Robin, no!"

Fat drops of water struck Robin's cheeks as Starfire's hands shot out to stop him. For a breathless moment, they just stared at one another. The water slid down his face and a smile broke on his face.

Starfire, confused by his grin, could only gawk at her boyfriend. Robin wiped away the water, chuckling softly. "Didn't the Lady of the Lake say Siren's spell would wear off?"

"So you are not afraid?" Starfire stammered, still frozen in place.

Robin swept her up into her arms but, in the process, knocked over a half carton of milk. Starfire gasped and covered her mouth as the milk spilled into the cake batter. Robin grimaced. "I'm so sorry, Star."

She shook her head, letting out a mournful sigh. "It is alright. I will just have to try again."

"Why don't you get some sleep."

"I cannot!" She protested. "I must retrieve more milk and eggs or we will not have the proper ingredients for breakfast tomorrow."

Robin smiled. She looked ready to drop with exhaustion but she was still concerned about the others. "I'll go get some milk."

She gave him a look.

"What?" He laughed. "I'm sure there's a Wal-Mart or something open around here. I'll be back in ten minutes."

Starfire still seemed unsure. Robin tilted her chin back and planted a small kiss on her lips. "Don't worry. I'll be back soon. Get some rest."

••••••••

The plastic bag tapped against his leg with every step he took down the dark sidewalk. He kept his head down low but otherwise tried to act normal. There didn't seem to be anyone out at this time of night but there was no harm on erring of the side of caution. His sharp eyes searched every shadow and analyzed every sound. He'd told Star not to worry but here he was having a panic attack with every corner he rounded.

"I have a message for you, Mr. Grayson." Robin barely had time to inhale before the hand lashed out of the shadows of a back alley and grabbed a fistful of his shirt front.

He dropped the grocery bag as the man yanked him into the darkness. His eyes, thankfully, didn't take long to adjust but as his gaze settled on the face of the enemy, his jaw clenched. The massive man nearly hauled Robin off of his feet as he brought the boy to his masked face. Robin ignored the urge to spit in Bane's face. The well muscled man wore a black tank top that probably served as a form of intimidation- one look at this man's biceps could make even the toughest guy's knees buckle.

Robin dropped down quickly in an attempt to avoid Bane's meaty fist. Too late, he saw Bane's leg move. Robin grimaced as Bane brought up his knee, catching the Boy Wonder under the chin. The hero's head flung back from the force with a sickeningly snap. The villain grabbed at Robin again, tossing him around effortlessly.

Stars exploded in his vision as Robin's spine smashed against the rough red brick wall. He snapped his jaw shut with an audible click of his teeth as his body slid to the ground. Robin sucked in a deep breath before forcing his body to the side. The brick wall where he had been burst apart as Bane's fist pounded into the solid rock. Chunks of brick clattered to the ground and as the dust settled, Robin could see Bane stomping towards him, blue veins bulging beneath his skin.

Robin threw back his hood, ignoring the fiery agony spreading up his back, and yanked free several sharp batarangs from his belt. Thin streaks cut through the darkness as the weapons soared through the night air, tearing into Bane's exposed flesh. Trails of crimson blood oozed from the wounds but it did nothing to deter the ridiculously muscled man.

Robin melded with the shadows along the wall., hoping to catch Bane off guard, took the opportunity to leap at his enemy from behind, aiming his staff for a pressure point in the shoulder. Admittedly, the dark of the night and Bane's thick neck made locating the spot difficult.

Bane's hand shot back, his pudgy fingers coiling around the thin metal staff, and pulled. Robin released his rip on the staff and flew over Bane's head, aiming several more batarangs at him. Robin twisted in midair and bent his knees, preparing his body for the landing. He ground his teeth together as his feet landed on the ground, sliding back several feet on the gravel from the force of Bane's throw, and placed a hand down to steady himself.

Robin's back now faced the empty street. A dim street light flickered behind him.

"This is pathetic." Bane taunted, his voice distorted by the mask covering his face.

Robin ignored the man's jab and focused on collecting himself. As he calmed himself, he knew there was only one option. He leapt up, arched his body back, and unleashed a handful of smoke bombs. He landed smoothly, crouching as the dense smoke filled the small back alley. He didn't dare move a muscle as Bane disappeared in the puff of gray smoke. Robin's pride blanched at the thought of running. But he also knew the meaning of "living to fight another day." This fight couldn't be won- not while he was alone. There was no sense in fighting Bane here and now. It would be foolish to continue.

The Boy Wonder burst out of the thick cloud of smoke clogging the narrow alley, not forgetting to snatch up his girlfriend's shopping items. Night air blasted against him, chilling and filling his lungs as he raced towards home.

••••••••

The communicator buzzed on his nightstand, filling his dark room with pale blue light. Robin, curled up in the center of his bed, groaned loudly. Just the thought of moving made his muscles ache. The dull throb in his head hadn't let up for even a moment and as Robin sat up, a wave of nausea crashed into him. He rolled on his back, sighing as he stared up at his ceiling. He stretched out his thin arm to silence the vibrating device and his muscles flared with pain. He blinked rapidly as he brought the round communicator to him, blinded by the light.

Rather reluctantly, he flipped open the lid and watched as Aqualad's face sprang up on the circular screen. "Is this a bad time?" The Atlantean asked.

Robin ignored the question entirely, instead asking one of his own. "What's wrong?"

Aqualad flashed a smug smile. "We found it."

"It?" Robin lifted an eyebrow, his muddled brain struggling to follow Aqualad's meaning.

Aqualad's victorious grin faltered at Robin's obvious lack of excitement. "Yeah, the statue you had us looking for."

"Where is it?" Robin asked, bolting upright in his bed.

"This is more like it." Aqualad chuckled. "Well we found it in a deep-sea gorge, I think it was the one you were looking for at least."

"How'd you guys find it?" Robin asked, suddenly feeling wide awake and restless.

Aqualad looked over his shoulder and said something to someone behind him. "Look, Robin." He said, turning back to the communicator. "I'll make sure the statue gets to the Lady but I've really got to go. I can give you the details later."

"Alright. And Aqualad, good job." Robin grinned.

Aqualad returned the smile. "Just make sure you get those bastards and leave the rest to us. We've got this."

* * *

**Starting to enjoy Robin's character more XD Batman kind of seems like a douche here, sorry. I love Batman, seriously I do! So don't hate me xD** _-Anii_


	25. Chapter 25

**A guest commented about Bane breaking Batman's back:**

**Yes, I did know that! That's why I chose Bane :D**

**Bane's strength combined with his intelligence makes him a TERRIFYING foe.**

**Note: Raven's part takes place as Robin's part LAST chapter was going on. They kind of overlap.**

**I just wanted to clear that up so you don't get confused mid-chapter.**

_-Anii_

* * *

**Chapter 25: "I'm both a sinner and a gentleman at heart."**

_**- Walking Separate Ways by Conditions**_

Pinkish purple clouds hung low in the sky as the red sun sat just above the horizon.

"I can't believe you came up with a lie like that." Terra mused, her long hair swaying gently as she walked.

Raven shrugged, barely aware of what the blonde was saying.

"I mean, really? Did that secretary really believe that sob story about you being Goth's long-lost secretary?" Terra shook her head, chuckling as she recalled the incident. "It's too bad she didn't have Goth's address though. I doubt this manager guy will give it up no matter how many times you beg."

_Doesn't matter_, Raven thought to herself. _I don't want Goth's address. I wanted Maveric's._

Maveric McCullen was Goth's 23 year-old manager. The guy was almost as big of a jackass as his demonic client. The team had seen him several times while watching Goth. The guy was a complete sleez-ball. He had an unjustifiable superiority complex and hated cops of any kind.

Still, he was always near Goth so maybe he could shine some light on this situation. Bad guys just seemed to pop up everywhere. Raven wanted to make sure that there weren't more they should be concerned about. She was also hoping to confirm that Goth was working with Poison Ivy.

"So are you going to tell me the plan or just continue to ignore me?" Terra said for the thousandth time.

Her companion chose the latter option. When Terra had piped up back home, Raven was shocked by the words that had come out of her mouth and the reasoning behind such words. The looks Terra had been sending Beast Boy all night made Raven's skin prickle.

The empath's violet eyes carefully watched the doorman of the building she was scouting. He didn't even seemed to notice her or Terra as both Titanesses breezed by.

Raven ducked down a shadowed back alley- a superheroes best friend- and turned to Terra, the majority of her face hidden by her jacket's hood."Don't make a sound."

Terra didn't seem pleased but she cooperated.

The slightly annoyed empath cast up a prayer- something she'd made a habit of doing as of late- and willed her body off of the ground. Thankfully, her powers seemed to cooperate and she was lifted off of her feet and dropped of nicely on the roof of the building. Terra followed, albeit more loudly than her counterpart had.

By the time Terra's feet had hid solid ground, Raven had already used her black energy to slice through the lock on the rooftop door.

"Aren't _bad _guys the one who break into homes?" Terra whispered furiously.

A slew of spiteful retorts rushed by in Raven's head and her mouth twisted with disdain. However, she managed to swallow her nasty responses and focus on the task at hand. She thrust the door open and peered over the rail, staring down into the building's twirling depths.

A thin tendril of black energy coiled around Terra's wrist and before the blonde had time to scream, Raven launched herself over the rail, her eyes scanning each floor she fell past until she got floor 11- Maveric's floor.

Raven halted abruptly and dropped herself in front of the door leading to the eleventh floor hallway. Rather begrudgingly, she stopped Terra's fall just in time, yanking on the energy rope and dragging the teen over the rail to safety.

Terra collapsed on her hands and knees, her silver eyes wide with fear. The earthen girl ground her teeth together as she tilted her head back. "You could have killed us both. Or did you forget that your powers are failing?"

In response, Raven casually flung open the door and stepped out into the brightly lit hallway with marble floors and maroon hallways. She looked both ways down the hallway, repeating the room number over and over in her head.

"It's that one, isn't' it? Room 15?" Terra asked, pointing to one of the many gray doors in the hallway.

"Don't say anything." Raven replied, stepping towards the door with a ball of nerves sitting in the pit of her stomach.

Tonight, Raven had traded in her leotard and cape in for ripped skinny jeans and a black jacket over a maroon band t-shirt. Her bare knuckles rapped against Maveric's apartment door and the two girls waited patiently for the occupant to arrive.

The door swung open with gusto. A man stood in the doorway, his upper body completely naked and his lower half only hidden by a pair of white skinny jeans that hung low on his slender hips. His inky black hair hung to to his shoulders and his blue-green eyes burned brightly with arrogance.

Raven tossed back her hood, unabashed by the man's nakedness. "Are you Maveric McCullen?"

"This is some kind of joke, right?" Marveric's black eyebrows arched, a smile that lacked laughter on his thin lips.

When Terra and Raven only stared at him in confusion, he pointed to them with a look of disdain. "I didn't order a school girl and a gothic kid, honey. Go back and tell your boss I want a refund."

"A guy like you has to buy prostitutes?" Terra quipped.

Maveric's eyes narrowed. "I don't pay for sex. I'm talking about the models for my client's music video."

"You didn't answer my question." Raven stated. "Are you Maveric McCullen?"

"Yeah, what's it to you?" He snapped, crossing his arms over his bare chest and leaning against the doorway.

"Can we come in?" Raven asked bluntly.

Maveric just stared at her in disbelief and, for several painfully silent and awkward moments, she thought he would slam the door in her face.

"Are you crazy fans?" He asked suspiciously.

Raven's deadpan stare gave him his answer. The older man shrugged. "Why the hell not?"

He stepped aside, revealing the modernly styled apartment inside. Raven stepped in first, inwardly admiring the glass wall before her and the exquisite view of the twinkling city below.

Instead of telling her where to sit, Maveric went directly to the kitchen and pulled out a single beer from the stainless steel fridge. He cranked back the tab with a quick and final snap. He wasn't playing the humble host and he was letting them know right away that he had no intentions of doing so.

"Shouldn't you girls be more concerned with whether or not I'd try to force myself on you?" He asked, seating himself directly across from Terra.

"I doubt you could." The blonde retorted.

Maveric chuckled, obviously amused by her answer. He turned his arrogant eyes on Raven. "To answer your question, yes, I am Maveric McCullen. Why do you ask?"

"You work for Goth?" Terra asked.

"Why?" suspicion flared in his blue-green gaze. "I thought you said you weren't fan girls."

Terra snorted and rolled her eyes. "That loser isn't worth fangirling over."

"We'd like to know if you know any of Goth's friends?" Raven blurted

"Why the hell should I tell you anything?" Maveric placed his arm on the back of the couch, tipping back his beer and taking several generous gulps. "How the hell did you get my address anyways?"

Raven pursed her lips, feeling the lie already on the tip of her tongue. "Goth told me."

a suspicious spark lit in his eyes as if he knew she was lying. "If you know Goth so well, why do you need answers from me?"

Terra let out a defeated sigh and pointed to the violet-haired girl beside her. "This is Goth's girlfriend. She thinks he's cheating."

Maveric clearly hadn't been expecting this and his cocky expression dropped momentarily. "I never heard of a girlfriend."

Terra shook her head mournfully and turned to Raven. "I told you. Those are all the signs of a cheater. He doesn't even tell his friends about you."

Inside, Raven was stunned by Terra's performance but, outside, she revealed nothing. She just stared at Marveric only offering a smidge of sadness when the young man's searching gaze met hers.

"I wouldn't call Goth and I friends." Marveric shrugged.

"Aren't you his manager?" Terra asked, having completely taken over this interrogation.

"I don't have to be friends with him to make him famous. I don't even know the guy's real name." Maveric smirked and leaned forward as if telling something secret. "And I could care less."

"So, you _haven't_ seen anyone?" The blonde questioned further.

Maveric chuckled. "He'd like to think that way. But I'm not telling you, sweetie. No matter how long your friend there stares at me."

Terra tilted her head, her eyes narrowing the slightest. "I thought you said you weren't Goth's friend?"

"I'm not. I'm his manager." Maveric set his alcoholic drink on the glass table before him and stood. "How do I know you aren't reporters trying to ruin his image with some cheating scandal?"

"You don't." Raven broke in. "You either tell us or not."

Terra drove an elbow into her companion's ribcage to silence her.

"I'm not an idiot, girls." Maveric walked over to the door, nodding his head to the now open doorway. "I suggest you leave before it gets too dark. You never know what lies in the shadows."

••••••••

"What!" A sleepy-eyed man swung open the door to his run-down apartment.

"Are you Rodrick Crovich?" Raven asked immediately, casting off her hood as she spoke.

"What's it to ya?" The man grumbled.

"You're the director for Goth, correct?" Terra piped up.

The man hesitated before replying cautiously. "Yeah."

"Can we come in and talk?" The slightly annoyed Azarathian blurted.

For a moment, the man looked as if he'd slam the door in their faces but then he stepped aside to allow the girls entrance into his shabby home. Rodrick swept a hairy arm across the surface of his stained coffee table and dumped all kinds of objects onto the dirty carpet, grumbling about making a pot of coffee.

Raven held up a hand to stop him as she sat down on his ripped, green couch. "It's alright. We won't be long."

The tired man ran a hand along his scruffy jaw and sat across from his guests. "You said this was about that punk? What the hell did he do this time? Did he kill someone?" Roderick's fatigue-filled eyes looked the girls up and down. "You don't look like cops."

"You direct all of his music videos?" Terra asked without introducing herself. The blonde was unable to hide her utter disgust for the dirty building and Roderick could easily see it.

"I don't like this place anymore than you do, princess." Rodrick hissed, his grey eyes narrowing. "But my bitch of an ex-wife pretty much cleaned me out before leaving me. And then that son of a bitch Goth says that he's going to use another director for his next music video! Tch."

Raven pressed on without sympathy for the mans plight. "Have you met any of Goth's friends before?"

"You mean those punks who come onto my set demanding shit like their the princes of friggin' Egypt?"

"I'm more curious about the woman." Raven prodded.

Rodrick gave a knowing wink. "Are you a jealous girlfriend?" He busted out laughing and gave his knee a hard slap. "Yeah, I've seen him hanging around a chick- a red-head. Says he's goin' for a smoke but I saw him out there with her."

Rodrick squinted his eyes and stroked his chin. "Now that I think about it, she was around a lot. When I asked him about it once, he said she was a reporter asking about his book."

"He wrote a book?" This bit of information surprised both Titans.

Rodrick got up and moved to a table piled with miscellaneous things. "Yeah, he wrote that damn thing two years ago and he expects me to believe that?"

"What was it about?" Raven asked, completely confounded. She'd never pegged the strange, demonic musician as a novelist.

"The book?" Rodrick shrugged as he shoved aside several sheets of paper. "I don't know, something about corrupt superheroes."

Raven's mouth went dry.

The disheveled man uncovered a paperback and glared down at the cover. "I thought it was stupid but this thing flew of the shelves. People ate this crap up." He grunted and handed it to Raven, who held out a trembling gray hand to receive the thick book.

"Maverick gave it to me as a promotional gift." Rodrick rolled his eyes.

A completely shadowed figure stood out firmly in the center of a smudged blue background. A simple cape blew in imaginary wind behind the person. Their eyes glowed bright white with a downward arch to them and, combined with the smug smirk on his lips, gave the figure a sinister appearance. The spiked hair and overall stance led Raven to realize that the figure on the cover remarkably resembled Robin.

Bold white lettering was scrawled across the top. Raven whispered the title aloud, "Angels of Deception."

••••••••

The hooded Azarathian stared down at the cover of Goth's book. Could this have been the start of it all? How? How was it possible for one man to spark a revolution? Raven's eyes narrowed. Goth wasn't human- that's how. He'd done something. She didn't know how but she intended to find out.

"Ugh!"

Raven snapped back into reality, lifting her head at the sound of Terra's guttural gag. "What is it?"

"A strip club." Terra pointed ahead to a flashy neon sign.

Raven's blood went cold. "That's Cedric's strip club?"

The name was different and the building seemed to have had a makeover but Raven knew the moment she laid eyes on it. TALK ABOUT LOCATION

"Should we go the other way?" Terra asked, her tone softening.

"No." Raven whispered, almost in a daze.

She walked right up to the bouncer, nodding at the newly placed neon sign hanging above the door. "Wasn't this place called something else like two weeks ago?"

The bouncer shrugged, his stern, expressionless face revealing nothing. Terra tugged on Raven's arm but the empath shrugged her off. "Wasn't it called 'Freak on a Leash'?"

His voice rumbled from deep in his chest. "Listen, it's none of your business, but my boss took ownership of this place after that weasel Cedric skipped town."

"Skipped town? When?" The teenager demanded.

"Unless you want a job, I suggest you keep moving."

Terra tore Raven away, gripping her companion's arm tightly as she led her away from the strip club. "What is your problem?"

"Batman said he released Cedric." Raven muttered absently, her eyes wide and her voice breathless.

"So? The guy skipped town after getting beat up by a man dressed as a bat. I think that's a pretty normal reaction if you ask me." Terra argued.

It made sense but the words rang false in Raven's mind. Her stomach flipped and knotted at the same time no matter how many times she told herself running away was logical. A shiver ran through her spine and she tilted her head back.

Her violet eyes immediately met the fierce gaze of a man hidden in shadow atop a gargoyle's back, his black cape billowing around his ankles as the moon shone on the emblem on his chest: a bat with his wings spread out wide.

••••••••

Raven rubbed the space between her eyes, fighting off the fatigue tugging at her body. Goth's book lay open on her lap, the crisp white pages, filled with lies, bared and unread.

_Bang!_

Raven jolted upright, the fog instantly clearing from her mind. She placed the book on her nightstand, swung her legs over the side of her bed, and slid over to her door on bare feet. Another loud muffled bang reached her ears as she pressed an ear against her room.

When the sound came again, Raven's door rattled. She threw open her door, black energy oozing from her hands. She inhaled sharply as a golden-haired boy fell inside of her room, his brow covered with sweat and his face paler than porcelain.

She dropped to the floor and scooped Jericho into her arms. His face scrunched up with pain and his breathing was heavy.

"Jericho?" Raven called, worry tightening her throat.

Pale eyelids fluttered open and his shimmering green eyes found hers easily. A pathetic smile formed on his lips just before his face twisted and his body convulsed with agony. Raven scanned his clothing but couldn't find a drop of blood.

Panicking more and more with each passing moment, she shouted. "Tell me what's wrong!? D-does your head hurt?"

She moved to place a hand on Jericho's forehead but his hand shot up with incredible speed and seized hers. He gave it a weak squeeze, his hand trembling terribly. Raven crushed his body to hers as she hauled him off of the floor and placed him on her bed.

Jericho writhed in pain, clutching at the simple white bed sheets, his face a mask of pure anguish. Raven went to the bathroom and snatched a clean rag out of the linen closet. She cranked the knob and cold water came tumbling out of the faucet. Without thinking, Raven stuck the rag and her hand under the water.

The moment the stream of cold water rushed over her hand, the girl was reminded about her hydrophobia and she dropped the rag in the marble sink. Her eyebrows scrunched together as she stared down at the crystal clear liquid, watching with amazement as it drenched her skin without bringing out an ounce of fear from the Azarathian.

She heard a jarring crash and grabbed the soaked cloth, not even bothering to turn off the water. Jericho had flipped over on his side now, curled up in the fetal position.

The lamp that had sat on Raven's nightstand now lay in pieces on the floor. Raven carefully edged her way around the broken shards and sat on the edge of her bed. Quietly and carefully, Raven mopped up the sweat on Jericho's placid face.

He didn't seem in as much pain now. His breathing was still rapid but the tension in his body and face had relaxed some. As she brushed damn curls away from Jericho's eyes, Raven wondered what the hell had put him in so much pain.

Up until the moment he'd shown up at her door, Raven hadn't even known where he was. The violet-haired girl felt a pang of guilt in her chest. She hardly knew anything at all about her partner and fellow Titan.

She didn't even know anything about his powers. The boy was a mute but Raven sensed that he didn't want to divulge much about his past, even if he could. She didn't want to pry but curiosity was roiling in her gut like a typhoon.

Her fingertips brushed against Jericho's soft cheek, her imagination twisting a dark tale that she couldn't see this boy having. Jericho was sweet and thoughtful. If Robin hadn't told her so, Raven would never have guessed that this golden-haired youth was a Titan at all.

A thought crossed her mind and she whispered it aloud. "You always listen to others but has anyone ever listened to you?"

She hadn't forgotten that Jericho couldn't speak but that didn't mean there weren't other ways to tell his story. Jericho clearly didn't want to talk about his past, but had anyone even thought to ask at all?

A painful sensation shot up her leg. It felt as if her muscle was being torn savagely from her bones. Fiery agony spread up her torso and unmistakable rage churned in the pit of her stomach. She felt the switch now- she could feel herself losing the battle and the emotion stepping into her body.

Raven cast a terrified glance Jericho's way before she was finally removed from control. A throaty laugh trickled from Raven's lips and Rage flexed her fingers. "How sweet, Raven. You brought me a snack."

_Don't!_ The shivering empathy screamed. Her voice only echoed around in the confines of her mind, however, which sent Rage into an uncontrollable fit of laughter.

Raven watched with horror, trapped in her own mind, as Rage pulled out a long dagger from the nightstand drawer. The sharp edge gleamed in the lamplight as Rage twisted it from side to side. Her voice was dark and sounded as if multiple people were speaking in unison. "You haven't let me out to play. I don't appreciate that."

_What the hell is your problem?_ Raven hissed through clenched teeth, fighting the fear in her voice.

It didn't matter. Rage knew she was terrified.

Rage chuckled grimly, climbing onto the bed with the knife gripped tightly in her hand. She giggled happily as she pressed the metal into the soft flesh along Jericho's neck. The Golden Boy slept peacefully, completely oblivious to the dangerous situation he was in. _(Anii Note: Sorry, I got tired of calling him "golden-haired".)_

Rage moved to sweep the dagger across Jericho's neck but invisible hands seized hers. Raven's jaw dropped as she realized she was stopping Rage. Rage grunted as she struggled against the body's true owner. The dagger shook as Raven's hands quivered from the struggle. A cooling relief began in the empathy's fingertips and flowed throughout the rest of her body. Seizing the moment, Raven flung herself off of the bed.

She dropped to the floor in a trembling mess. Her breathing was shallow and frantic as she waited, wondering if at any moment Rage would jump forward. After several terrified moments, the panicked girl lifted a hand, weakly wiggling her fingers. A shaky laugh fell from Raven's lips as she stared in disbelief at her hand. She immediately scrambled to her feet and bent over her bed. She silently leaned close to her sleeping partner, scanning Jericho's pale skin for even a tiny nick or scratch.

She found none and clasped a hand to her mouth as she stumbled back. Happy tears sprang in her eyes as she turned away from the boy. How did this happen. She wasn't complaining but that didn't mean she wasn't confused beyond belief. Even with some of her more playful emotions, Raven had never been able to take control. What had changed.

_The Leo statue..._

Raven slowly lowered her hand from her mouth. Could it be true? Vivienne had said she was going to perform a cleansing ritual on the Leo. Had that tipped the scales enough for Raven to gain the upper hand in this war with her emotions?

Thinking about the statue once more made the empathy recall other quarries about the ancient figure. She'd wondered for a while what the vision had meant when she touched the statue. She'd somehow come to accept that the image was a display of the Leo's rage. But did implied that the statue had a mind of its own. If that was so, could it have revealed anything to the mystic woman, like the location of other statues?

If there were any answers to be found, Vivienne would have them.

••••••••

-Robin-

Robin stared down at the empty black screen. His conversation with Aqualad had ended just moments before but the Boy Wonder's mind was still reeling with the new information.

They'd found it. They were almost there now. Two statues were dealt with.

Robin closed the lid of his communicator and laid back against his bed, staring up blankly at the ceiling. Why was Aqualad so busy? Robin wasn't sleeping much and he didn't doubt that his companions were doing the same. His thoughts turned to the other Titans being housed in Aqualad's home. How were they all doing? He hadn't really spoken to any of them other than to check up on their progress.

He felt a little guilty about not worrying more about them as people. _Maybe I should visit..._

Aqualad had seemed pretty busy before. Wouldn't Robin's unexpected visit be more of a bother? And what if Aqualad felt that Robin didn't trust him to hold up his side of the Titans?

Robin swung his legs over the side of his bed, staring down at his bare feet as he mulled over the course of action he was about to take. _A quick visit won't disturb them,_ he concluded.

He shed his sleeping pants and pulled on a random outfit quickly. He picked up his cape, staring down at the black and yellow cloth before setting it aside. He ran a hair through his messy hair but shrugged it off. He wouldn't be gone long. He just wanted to check up on his busy friend.

Robin slowly closed his bedroom door behind him and crept down the hallway as silently as he could. He turned the corners, preparing to jog down the stairs but instead bumped into a hooded figure.

"Raven?" He whispered.

The girl spun around at the sound of her name and flinched as she recognized Robin. "Where are you going?" He asked.

He could see her shift in the darkness. "To see Vivienne." After several awkward moments of silence, Raven returned the question. "What about you?"

"To check up on some of the other Titans." Robin replied, keeping his voice low.

Both Titans fell silent, unaware of what to say next to one another. Raven pointed down the hallway. "Well...I'm going to go." She began to move away but turned around abruptly and whispered, "Be safe."

"You too." He returned with a smile.

-End Robin-

••••••••

Raven strode down the cavern tunnel, wondering about the prickling sensation that rippled over her skin. The temple had always seemed peaceful, silent but for the sounds of tinkling laughter that came from the joyful nymphs. Now, Raven could hear no sounds and the atmosphere was suffocating.

As she rounded the corner, calling out to the temple's mistress, the violet-haired girl's eyes shot open wide and she stumbled back with shock.

The platform was littered with bare nymphs, each unmoving and silent. Raven's breath caught in her throat as she saw the blood splashed all across the surface of the pure white dais. A trail of crimson dribbled down the stairs and leaked into the water that had once seemed beautiful and now just seemed eerily still.

As Raven's eyes drifted up the stairs, she vaguely made out a thin blue arm sticking out from the gossamer veil at the top of the platform.

A cry tore from Raven's lips as she rushed forward, forgetting entirely about the water that separated her from the bloody dais. No lily pad burst to life beneath her feet to carry her across the surface and the Azarathian was thrown down into the surprisingly icy water.

Raven flapped her arms and kicked her legs, desperately trying to push herself towards safety but invisible hands clutched her body, dragging her down deeper into the water's depth. The shimmering light from the temple dimmed the further Raven sunk.

Bubbles floated up to the surface, carrying away the drowning girl's final scream.

••••••••

-Robin-

Heels clicked against a hard surface, causing Robin's head to throb painfully. He rolled onto his back, groaning with anguish. Every inch of his body ached. Someone grabbed a fistful of Robin's shirt and hauled him off of the floor. He pried open his swollen eyes and stared at the blurry feminine face before him. The woman's oddly colored lips split in a wide grin. "Good morning." She cooed.

Robin attempted to ask where he was but he coughed, spurting up bright red blood that flooded over his lips and down his chin.

"Disgusting." The woman snarled, releasing him and letting his sore body smack back down against the hard floor.

Robin watched through bleary eyes as the woman walked away from him, her hips sway sensuously as her heeled shoes clicked against the ground. He blinked to clear his vision and swallowed painfully, gagging on the coppery taste of his own blood. The sounds of parting water made the Boy Wonder turn his attention to the dark pool off to the right of the woman.

"Have you done as I asked?" She asked, turning to face the approaching man.

Water pooled at Aqualad's feet as he kneeled before the woman. "I have."

"Are you sure he's dead?" She prodded, her gaze less than friendly.

Aqualad nodded, his voice strangely robotic and distant. "I am. Aquaman is no more."

-End Robin-

* * *

**I started college today! Woot! I'm taking a writing class (it's required) so hopefully that can help me with this story and others** _-Anii_


End file.
